Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Briley and head coach Kim Huggins-Habbert following the game against Post, taken by Frank Stallworth.
NEWARK, Del. - - The two-time defending Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Champions form Post were too much to handle for the Wilmington University volleyball team on Saturday afternoon, as the Eagles swept their way to victory, 3-0, at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 25-17, 25-21, and 25-16.
Freshman Jill Braunsberg hit .364 with nine kills on 22 attempts, but the Wildcats (7-10, 4-4 CACC) couldn't slow down the Eagles (15-3, 7-1 CACC) offense as the visitors hit .300 for the match while only committing nine errors. The Wildcats came into today's match averaging seven blocks per match, but only amassed four block-assists on Saturday, totaling two blocks in the three sets.
Wilmington led early in the first set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead before a mini 3-0 spurt put he home team ahead 11-9 in the early going. Tied at 13-13, the Eagles rattled off five of the next six points to take control of the set at 18-14. The Wildcats closed to within 18-16, but the Eagles scored six consecutive points to earn set point, 24-16.
The Eagles carried the momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 9-3 lead before the Wildcats earned their way back into the game. A kill by Rebecca Rawlinson and a block by Eile Harris and Allison Briley brought the Wildcats to within 14-10, but the Eagles continued to hold onto the lead throughout. Three straight points got the Wildcats to within 22-19, but the teams traded points the rest of the way, putting Post ahead, 2-0, with a 25-21 second set victory.
Again the Wildcats started strong in the third set, taking a 5-3 lead in the early going. The tide turned in favor of the Eagles after the set was tied 10-10, however, as the visitors scored five straight en route to a 9-3 run. An Addalyn Flores ace brought the Wildcats to within 19-15, but the Eagles used another 5-0 run to earn match points before putting it away, 25-16.
Braunsberg's nine kills led the team while Emma Kongevold added seven terminations. Briley chipped in with six kills while adding a team best 19 digs in the loss. Miranda Shaw dished out 16 assists while Flores added 11 digs to round out the double digits on Saturday.
Briley's eighth dig of the match was her 1,000th of her career, becoming the ninth player in program history to reach the milestone, but she is only the fourth player in program history to have more than 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs for their career.
The Wildcats will look to get back in the win column when they return to CACC action on Tuesday night at Georgian Court. The match is set for a 6:00 p.m. first service in Lakewood, N.J.
