NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton volleyball team fell to Macalester 3-1 on Friday night at West Gym.  With the loss, the Knights fall to 11-9 on the season and 2-4 in MIAC play. 
 
The Knights got off to a slow start to open the matching, falling behind 7-2 in the early going.  That deficit grew to eight (13-5), as the visitors grabbed the early momentum.  Trailing 18-10 late in the frame, Carleton outscored Macalester 12-7 over the remainder of the set, but the damage had been done, as the Scots took the opening set 25-22.
 
Carleton came out to grab the early lead in the second set, scoring four of the first six points for the early 4-2 lead.  The Knights put the pedal down, opening up a six-point lead (14-8) following back-to-back service aces from sophomore Megan Smith.  With the difference still six (17-11) in favor of the home team, the Scots came roaring back with a 9-2 run that gave Macalester a 20-19 lead, its first of the set since the 5-4 mark in the early going.  But Carleton found its footing, closing the frame on a 6-2 run to take the set 25-22 and even up the match.
 
Macalester tipped the match in its favor with a blistering .548 attack rate in the third set.  The Scots collected 18 kills with just one error in the frame, which saw seven ties and three lead changes.  The two teams battled through the early stages of the set.  With the visitors leading 18-15, the Knights scored consecutive points to pull within one (18-17).  The tide turned down the stretch, as the Scots scored seven of the final eight points, six of which were kills, to take the pivotal third set 25-18. 
 
Trailing 2-1 in the match, the Knights battled out to an early lead in the fourth set.  An Ellewyn Swafford ace gave the home team a 12-9 advantage.  Two plays later, junior Sylvia Dixon registered a kill to push the lead back to three (13-10), but another Scot run proved to be the difference.  Macalester scored nine straight points and all but put the match away, taking a 19-13 lead.  Carleton fought back and cut the lead to four (21-17), but the lead proved insurmountable as the Scots scored the final four points of the set to take it 25-17 and secure the 3-1 victory.
 
Sophomore Rachel Bingham led the way for the Maize and Blue with 11 kills and three blocks.  First-year Ellewyn Swafford was the only other Knight in double-figure kills with 10.  Jennifer Bricker posted a match-high six blocks, while Megan Smith dished out 38 assists and first-year libero Madeleine Dimitre posted 15 digs. 
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will take to the road on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for an MIAC match-up with Augsburg in Minneapolis.  That mid-week match is set for a 7pm start.