NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's volleyball team wrapped up the 2025 campaign with a competitive showing on Senior Day, falling to Emmanuel College in straight sets (11-25, 15-25, 20-25) in a spirited effort on Saturday morning in Andrews Hall.

Prior to opening serve, the Cadets honored Sarah DeBot (Rochester, N.Y.), Bella Belldina Ray (Martinsburg, W.Va.), and Autumn Parkhurst (Parish, N.Y.) for their dedication and leadership throughout their four-year careers.  The trio combined for 308 kills, 474 assists, 112 service aces, 933 digs, and 68 total blocks in the Maroon & Gold.

Cameryn Jenkins (Monroe, Mich.) and Taylor "Rae" Lawing (Allen, Texas) led the Norwich attack with six kills apiece, while Belldina Ray added four and a team-best three blocks.  Lawing anchored the back line with 15 digs, and Parkhurst tallied a team-high 12 assists.  Charlotte Johnson (Moultonborough, N.H.) added two blocks at the net.

The Saints opened the first set with a tight back-and-forth exchange, as Norwich stayed within reach early on.  A Lawing kill from Parkhurst brought the Cadets within three at 6-3 before Emmanuel used a decisive 10-1 run to take control.  A service error and an ace from Brook Wolcott (Easthampton, Mass.) sparked a small push by the Cadets, but Emmanuel maintained its rhythm to take the opening frame.

Norwich struck first in the second set behind a Lawing kill, and Jenkins helped even things up at 2-2.  Emmanuel then built a lead the Cadets would spend the rest of the set trying to erase.  A series of Saint errors and timely kills from Belldina Ray, DeBot, and Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.) helped Norwich stay within striking distance, but another late burst from the visitors pushed them over the line.

The third set proved the most competitive of the day.  Norwich jumped ahead with an early kill from Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) and answered every early Emmanuel push to keep the score tight.  After the Saints moved ahead 8-5, the Cadets rattled off four straight points, including a key Parkhurst-to-Lawing connection, to take a 9-8 lead.

Emmanuel again responded with a 6-0 stretch to swing momentum back, but the Cadets surged one final time.  Trailing 21-16, Norwich clawed back with a 4-0 run, capped by a Belldina Ray kill off a clean Parkhurst assist, to bring the deficit down to one.  The Saints, however, closed the match on a four-point swing to escape with the win.

The Cadets closed out the 2025 season with resilience and togetherness, sending off their three graduating student-athletes with a hard-fought effort and a strong showing against the GNAC's regular season champions.