HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Swarthmore College women's volleyball team bounced back from an opening set loss and rattled off three straight wins to defeat Haverford College on the road, 3-1, in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon.
 
The victory secured the fourth seed for the Garnet in next week's Centennial Conference Tournament. Swarthmore will host a rematch against the Fords, who are the fifth seed, in the opening round of the tournament on Wednesday.
 
Haverford dominated the first set, hitting .393 while the Garnet posted just a .036 attack percentage. However, Swarthmore recovered and swung .263 over the remainder of the match compared to .231 for the Fords.
 
Kaylee Zhang registered a match-high 18 kills and hit .381 to lead the Garnet. She also tallied 12 digs and four service aces. Trisha Razdan contributed 10 kills and Dani Pena totaled 39 assists. Ellie Streeper finished with 20 digs, her fifth 20-plus performance of the year, and Sakura Shimozono added 13.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Haverford started the match on a tear, recording the first eight points of the opening set. Swarthmore was never able to get back in it and fell 25-11.
 
- In the second set, the teams were even at four when the Garnet scored four in a row to take the lead. Zhang and Angelina Heminway each had a kill and Swarthmore benefitted from two miscues by the Fords.
 
- Haverford closed the gap to two (10-8) but the Garnet answered with a 6-1 run to go up by seven. Razdan, Alexia Enache, and Zhang tallied one kill apiece with Heminway and Razdan teaming up for a block during the stretch. The Fords chipped away and got within two again (22-20) but kills by Zhang and Razdan followed by a Zhang ace gave Swarthmore the set, 25-20.
 
- The Garnet trailed 6-5 in the third set before rallying for five straight points. Heminway produced a pair of kills with Perry and Zhang each having one. Swarthmore never relinquished the advantage and went on to win the third, 25-20.
 
- The Garnet was nursing a 4-3 edge in the fourth when they created separation with an 8-1 surge. Perry, Heminway, and Zhang totaled one kill apiece and Heminway added an ace during the run. Swarthmore cruised the rest of the way, with Haverford only getting within four, and the Garnet clinched the match with a 25-19 decision.
 
GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Zhang 18
Assists: Pena 39
Aces: Zhang 4
Blocks: Heminway 2
Digs: Streeper 20
 
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (15-9) begins the postseason on Wednesday versus Haverford.