Alex Siolos Reachs 1,000 Career Kills but Wilmington Volleyball Falls at Millersville in Five Sets

Alex Siolos Reachs 1,000 Career Kills but Wilmington Volleyball Falls at Millersville in Five Sets

Copyright 2015; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Alex Siolos vs. Holy Family. 

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team forced a fifth set on Tuesday night but Millersville prevailed, 15-12, in the deciding game to take the match, 3-2, in both teams final nonconference match of the season in Pucillo Gymnasium.

Set scores for the match were 28-26, 20-25, 22-25, 25-22, and 12-15.

The Wildcats (21-9) hit .247 for the match while only committing 18 errors on 174 swings, but the Marauders (16-15) collected 13 more kills (74-61) on their way to the five-set victory.

Senior right side Alex Siolos became the third Wildcat in program history to reach 1,000 career kills, joining teammate Kaitlin DiGiacinto and Kristin Wiedeman ('06).

The Wildcats needed to battle back from a 14-10 deficit in the first set, using runs of 4-0 and 6-1 to eventually tie the game, 21-21. The Marauders scored back-to-back points before kills from Siolos and Eile Harris forced Millersville into a timeout at 23-23. A Millersville attack error gave the Wildcats set point, but the Wildcats couldn't convert. The Wildcats again had set points at 25-24, but Millersville got back-to-back kills to take the momentum, 26-25. The Marauders served for the set, but a service error gave the ball back to the Wildcats and Courtney MacDonald took full advantage. MacDonald came up with an ace of her own before Erin Bistany captured the set, 28-26, with a kill.

The Wildcats hit .346 in the second set, putting down 11 kills with only two errors on 26 attempts, but it wasn't enough as the Marauders came back to tie the match, 1-1. Millersville jumped out to an 8-2 lead before another 3-0 stretch pushed the lead to 18-12. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 21-17, but the home team scored four of the next six, including the final two points to take the set, 25-19.

Wilmington held a 10-5 lead in the third set before the Marauders made their move. An 8-1 run gave the home team a 13-11 lead while they went on to score four of the next five points as well to open a 17-13 lead. Kills from Bistany, DiGiacinto and Siolos brought the Wildcats to within a pair at 23-21, but the teams traded the final three points with the Marauders coming out on top, 25-22.

Millersville again battled back form an early deficit in the fourth set, using an 8-2 run to grab a 14-13 lead. The service gave of MacDonald brought the Wildcats back in front, 17-14, but another 5-0 spurt from the Marauders put the home team ahead once again, 19-17. Kills from DiGiacinto and Bistany, as well as an ace from Siolos gave the Wildcats a 21-19 lead before a Millersville attack error gave the visitors set point at 24-21. Briley kept the Wildcats alive with a kill, tying the match, 2-2, at 25-22.

The fifth set turned in favor of the Marauders as the teams switched sides, as Millersville scored three straight and 5-of-6 to lead 12-8. Briley came up with a kill and an ace to get within 12-10, but the teams traded points the rest of the way, ending with an Millersville kill, 15-12.

Siolos led the offense for the Wildcats with her 15 kills, hitting .286 with only three errors on 42 attempts. The senior also added 20 digs, three aces, and two block assists.

Bistany held down the middle of the court with 13 kills while hitting .321, adding six block assists, a solo block, and three digs. DiGiacinto and Briley chipped in with 11 digs each while Briley added 11 digs for the double-double.

The Wildcats wrap up the 2015 regular season with their final Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match of the year on Saturday as they welcome crosstown rival Goldey-Beacom to the WU Athletics Complex for a 12:00 p.m. match.