HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Swarthmore College volleyball team had its five-match win streak snapped with a 3-0 defeat at rival Haverford College in a Centennial Conference contest on Wednesday night.
 
The Garnet limited the Fords to a .182 attack percentage but were unable to capitalize, hitting just .055 themselves. Keira Miles paced the Swarthmore offense with 10 kills. Madeline Mountcastle was a key contributor both offensively and defensively, tallying 27 assists and 13 digs. Melissa Eyer led the team with 21 digs with Isabel Adam also totaling 13.
 
Despite the setback, the Garnet secured a top-four finish in the conference standings due to Gettyburg College's loss at Johns Hopkins University. Swarthmore is guaranteed to host at least one match in the upcoming Centennial Tournament.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet led 4-3 in the opening set before scoring three in a row to create some separation. Mountcastle notched a kill and Miles followed with a pair. With the score 9-5, Haverford rallied with an 8-2 run to go ahead 13-11. Swarthmore came back with four straight points to take a two-point edge but the Fords later tied it at 17 apiece.
 
- The teams went back and forth for the next several points and Haverford had set point at 24-23. However, an attack error brought the score level before Miles registered a kill to put the Garnet one point away. The Fords, though, went on to survive three set points and eventually took a 28-27 lead. Alexia Enache saved a set point with a kill for Swarthmore but Haverford answered with a kill and an ace to claim the opener, 30-28.
 
- The two sides traded points in the early going in the second set with the Fords holding an 8-7 edge. Haverford then pulled away with a 9-3 surge to make it 17-10. The Garnet cut the deficit to five (18-13) but the Fords responded with a 6-1 stretch to take a commanding 24-14 advantage before winning the frame 25-16.
 
- In the third, the teams were deadlocked at three when Haverford took over with a 5-1 run. The Fords maintained control and later upped their cushion to seven (16-9) after three unanswered points. Swarthmore got back into the set with six of the next eight points to close the gap to three (18-15). Aiste Bardauskaite led the way with three kills during the sequence. However, Haverford bounced back with a 7-1 spurt to pull away for good and take the match, 25-16.
 
GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Miles 10
Assists: Mountcastle 27
Aces: Maya Sheridan, Mountcastle, Eyer 1
Blocks: Angelina Heminway 2
Digs: Eyer 21
 
UP NEXT
The Garnet (17-9, 7-2 Centennial) close out the regular season with a home tri-match on Saturday. Swarthmore takes on conference foe Franklin and Marshall College before battling No. 16 Virginia Wesleyan University in a non-conference tilt.