ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Bard College women's volleyball team played like it was the last night of their lives. Senior Night had that effect, especially for Becca Wintjen, Ella Small, and Nyla Lawrence.

After trading sets with the Delhi Broncos, Bard locked in, winning their third straight meeting with Delhi. 

The first set was a straightforward win for the Raptors. Their defense was a huge part of the victory, as Delhi committed 10 errors while trying to go for the lines. Bard limited Kayla Nuss, the Broncos' kill leader, to one kill during the frame. The key moment during the set came at 12-10 Raptors, as the team found its stride during an 8-0 run. It was looking good for Bard in the second set as well, as they gained a 13-9 advantage. Delhi surged ahead after the following six points went their way. The Broncos had a 19-16 lead at the tail end of the set, but it quickly vanished after a 5-1 run from the home team. Delhi finalized the proceedings with a 5-2 run to tie up the match at 1-1. 

Both teams elevated their offenses in the third set. Bard hit .400, while Delhi turned a negative hitting percentage from the first set into a .310 percentage in the third. Bard had the first jab, starting the set 3-0. Delhi struck back with a 6-0 run. The lead changed hands again later in the set, as at 10-8 Delhi, the Raptors defended with poise to win four straight points. Small capped off the run with an ace. The Broncos earned the lead again at 13-12 before a 4-0 Bard run turned a deficit into a three-point lead at 16-13. Nuss found the hardwood to the tune of four straight kills, carrying Delhi on her back. The Raptors responded well, willing themselves to the finish line by winning nine of the final 13 points. Wintjen ignited the crowd with a timely kill to put Bard in front, 2-1. 

At one point in the fourth set, Bard had a kill-to-error ratio of 10-to-0, allowing them to gain a 15-10 lead. The Broncos wouldn't be forced into submission; two points away from a potential Bard victory at 23-21, they rallied to win five of the final six points and force a fifth. 

The stage was set for a dramatic finish, and the teams were neck-and-neck until 8-7 in Delhi's favor. Then, Xenia Vassou struck a kill, Carmen Merrick swung for two more, and Small dealt another ace to give the Raptors an 11-8 edge. The Broncos fought back, winning the next three points to tie it. After the teams exchanged the following four points, the match hung in the balance at 13-13 in the fifth. Merrick played as the hero, recording a kill to bring up match point and an ace to give the Raptors a much-needed win.

Wintjen had a monstrous double-double, tallying 10 kills and 13 digs, while tying a career-high with three blocks. Fellow senior Small had a team-high 17 digs to go with four assists and two aces. Annika Flittie had an outstanding performance, leading the Raptors with 13 kills, eight digs, two blocks, an ace, and an assist. Vassou had 11 kills, a season-high. Merrick delivered nine kills to just two errors for a .350 hitting percentage, six blocks, three aces, and five digs. Fernanda Julian led the match in aces, with five, and assists, with a career-high 41, tallying a double-double for the second straight match with 12 digs. 

The final match of the season will be Saturday at 2 p.m., when the Raptors travel to Oneonta.