MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Union College women's volleyball team ran into a hot-hitting Middlebury College squad and fell to the host Panthers by a 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-21) score in non-conference action on Wednesday evening at Pepin Gymnasium.
 
Senior Shannon McGrath put down a team-best 13 kills and added 12 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Classmate Georgia Pool recorded a team-leading 14 digs and sophomore Allie Kronenberg chipped in 32 assists and two service aces as well for Union (11-7).
 
Union hit .294 with 15 kills in the opening set, but the team was no match to Middlebury's 16 kills and .441 hitting as the Panthers took the opening set. McGrath led all players with seven kills in the frame, but the home team used a 12-3 run midway through the frame to take a 17-7 advantage on the way to a first-set win.
 
The Garnet Chargers held a lead to start the second stanza and took a 15-11 advantage after a kill by sophomore Kayla Martinez Cartagena. However, a 7-1 run put the Panthers back in front and a 7-3 stretch closed the frame to take a two-set lead.
 
A 9-2 run early in the third set gave the Panthers a comfortable edge in the third set. Union battled back with get within three points at 23-20, but the Garnet Chargers could not complete the comeback.
 
Union finished the match hitting .205 with 36 kills, while Middlebury hit at a .356 clip with 52 kills.
 
Union will kick off Liberty League play this weekend, playing the first of eight straight conference matches with a Saturday match at Skidmore College set for a 1 p.m. start.