PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team opened its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference campaign with a 3-0 setback at Jefferson on Wednesday night in the Gallagher Center.
Set scores for the match were 20-25, 20-25, and 14-25.
Despite out-blocking the Rams, 7-3, the Wildcats (4-5, 0-1 CACC) only hit .093 for the match with 26 kills and 16 errors while the Rams (5-5, 1-0 CACC) came away with 44 kills and 16 kills for a .226 attack percentage.
Jefferson used a 5-0 run in the middle of the first set to pull away from an 8-8 tie. Down 15-9, the Wildcats scored six of the next eight points to get to within 17-15 but the Rams answered with the next four points to take a 21-15 lead. A block from Eile Harris and Erin Bistany brought the Wildcats back to within 21-19, but the Rams finished off the first set by scored four of the next five to take a 1-0 lead.
With the Wildcats leading, 4-3, early in the second set, the Rams rattled off another long rally, scoring the next nine points and 12 of the next 13 to grab a 15-5 advantage. Another three straight points gave the Rams a 24-14 lead before the Wildcats attempted a late game comeback. A block by Jill Braunsberg and Rebecca Rawlinson and a kill from Braunsberg were a part of a 6-0 run to get to with 24-20, but it was too little too late as the Rams closed out the set for the 2-0 lead.
The Rams got off to a hot start in the third set, jumping out to leads of 8-2 and 14-4. The Wildcats scored 7-of-10 points to get to within 22-14, but the Rams closed out the set, 25-14, and the match, 3-0.
Harris and Braunsberg led the offense with six kills each. Braunsberg also led the back row with 16 digs while Brittany Ford and Mandy Behiels added 10 digs each. Rawlinson finished with three block assists and a solo block while Bistany collected four block assists. Harris also collected three block assists on the night.
The Wildcats head to LIU Post this weekend for a tri-match with the Pioneers and New Haven. The Wildcats square off against the Chargers first, with an opening serve set for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.