BOSTON, Mass. – Wellesley College volleyball took the second and third sets, but it wasn't enough in a 3-2 (25-16, 24-26, 23-25, 25-20, 15-8) NEWMAC setback against Emerson College at Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym on Tuesday night.

Senior Kaija Kunze-Hoeg (Eagan, Minn.) paced the Blue (11-12 Overall, 4-6 NEWMAC) with 21 kills and 13 digs. Junior Evie Hill (Rocklin, Calif.) and first-year Natalie Dabrowski (Chicago, Ill.) added 10 kills apiece. Sophomore Else Kunze-Hoeg (Eagan, Minn.) finished with 32 assists, 13 digs and four kills. Junior Caroline Meyer (Indianapolis, Ind.) collected 21 digs. 

First-year Lizzi Horning (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) led four Lions (14-13 Overall, 6-4 NEWMAC) with double digit kills with 16. Sophomore Chloe Hokenson (McLean, Va.) posted a triple-double of 18 digs, 18 assists and 15 kills. Junior Rachel Dickerson (Frisco, Texas) added 11 kills, while first-year Catherine McDonough (Agoura Hills, Calif.) recorded 10 kills on .750 hitting. Junior Lauren Yoo (Redondo Beach, Calif.) picked up a match-high 26 digs. 

Emerson scored the opening six points of the match, which included a pair of aces by sophomore Sophia Schiappa (Burr Ridge, Ill.). Wellesley cut the gap to three at 11-8 before a 4-1 run for the Lions put distance between the two teams. The hosts ended the 25-16 opening set with 10 kills and five aces.

The second set saw ties at 6-6, 8-8, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15, 18-18, 20-20 and 22-22. A pair of attack errors gave the Blue two sets points at 24-22. However, the Lions swung the momentum back with two points to even the set once more. A late purple and yellow service error was followed by a set-clinching kill from K. Kunze-Hoeg, knotting the match up at 1-1 in sets.

The third set was once again competitive throughout, with the teams unable to distance themselves at 23-23 after an evenly distributed set. This time, it was back-to-back attack errors that doomed Emerson, giving Wellesley its second set.

The hosts raced out to a 9-3 advantage in the fourth frame. A 4-0 run with three kills from K. Kunze-Hoeg put Wellesley back in the set at 12-12. A 5-1 run eventually gave the Lions same breathing room at 20-16, and Wellesley never got back within three points in a 25-20 set.

Wellesley started the deciding fifth stanza with a pair of unanswered points. From there, the paths diverged, with Emerson launching an 8-3 barrage. The Blue were unable to recover in time, ultimately losing 15-8 on a kill from McDonough. The Lions hit .563 with nine kills in the final set.

Both teams compete in their respective regular season finales on Saturday, November 8. The Blue host Smith College for Senior Day at 1:00 PM. Emerson plays at Coast Guard Academy with the same start time.