NEWARK, Del. - - Unable to convert on a set point at 26-25 in the second set to get back into the match, the Wilmington University volleyball team saw its dream season come to an abrupt end on Saturday afternoon, losing the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship match, 3-0, to Dominican College at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 19-25, 29-31, and 14-25.
Needing to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the CACC Tournament semifinal on Friday night, the Wildcats (26-6 overall) ran out of gas against Dominican (26-7 overall). Wilmington held off five set points in the second frame, but couldn't get the win it needed to put itself back in the match against the North Division's Number one seed.
With the win, the Chargers earn the CACC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division II East Regional Tournament which starts on November 29. Wilmington, ranked No. 10 in the latest NCAA.com East Regional Poll, will most likely see its season come to a close with the loss, as the NCAA selection show is set for Sunday, November 18 at 10 p.m.
It was the first time since 2004 the Wildcats advanced to the CACC Tournament Championship match, as this year's squad set a new program record for wins (28) and win percentage (.824). It was the first CACC Tournament Championship in program history for the Chargers.
Dominican was able to hold the Wildcat blocking game in check for the match, as each team totaled only five blocks. Each team also only committed 17 errors, but the Chargers earned more kills, 49-31, than the Wildcats, which proved to be telling story.
The defense attempted to keep the Wildcats in the match while the offense tried to keep up, as freshmen Alex Siolos and Shelby Henderson led the team with 19 and 18 blocks, respectively. Nicole Wiechecki added 13 blocks while Kasey Couch chipped in with 12 digs as well.
Wiechecki, a senior playing in what would be her final match of her career, was the lone Wildcat in double figures in kill, totaling 11 on the afternoon. But the Wildcats were only able to hit .110 for the match as a team (31-17-127).
Dominican was led by a pair of attackers who totaled double digit kills as Tournament MVP Michelle Fiorvanti led the way with 14 kills and 16 digs. Freshman and CACC Rookie of the Year Tori Dexter added 11 kills and 14 digs for the double-double. The Chargers hit .215 as a team for the match (49-17-149).
Wiechecki and freshman Kaitlin DiGiacinto were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts in the three matches for the Wildcats. DiGiacinto led the team with 32 kills in the three matches, while Wiechecki added 30 kills and team highs of seven aces and 39 points.
The second set proved to the game changer for both teams. With the match tied at 23, a service error gave the Chargers its first set point but Wiechecki put a ball to the ground to retie the set and bring the serve back to Wilmington. After the Chargers took another set point at 25-24, the Wildcats responded with back to back points from Wiechecki and a service ace from Annie Scarfo to give them their lone set point of the match.
The Chargers turned away the Wildcat rally with two points of their home to regain the momentum at 27-26. A block by Katie Shorter and Brooke Foskey tied the game at 27 once again. The team's traded the next four points to get to 29-29, but then the Chargers got back-to-back kills to take the set, and all the momentum with a 2-0 lead.
Seniors Wiechecki and Foskey donned the Green and White for the final time in their careers today in the loss. Foskey finished with four kills and two block assists on the afternoon. Wiechecki became the only Wildcat in program history to earn three First Team All-CACC honors in her career and is first in program history in aces (224) and second in kills (946).
