NEWARK, Del. - - The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division leading Jefferson Rams were too much for the Wilmington University volleyball team, taking the match in straight sets on Wednesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 25-15, 25-16, and 25-22.
The Wildcats (10-7, 6-8 CACC) were right with the Rams (18-6, 13-1 CACC) in the first set, getting off to a good start in front of their home crowd. The set was back and forth with the Rams knotting it at 7-7. Three straight Jefferson errors and an Emma Kongevold kill put the Wildcats on top, 11-7. Mandy Behiels put down a swing to stay ahead 12-9, but the Rams came back with three straight points to tie the set, 12-12. Rebecca Rawlinson and Jill Braunsberg denied a Jefferson swing at the net to regain a 13-12 lead, but the Rams then went on a tear. The visitors scored three straight to take a 15-13 lead before another 8-0 spurt put the Rams up 23-14. Back-to-back kills put the first set away, 25-15.
The beginning of the second set was back and forth again, with the Wildcats scoring 5-of-6 points to take a 7-6 lead. But the Rams answered right back with five straight in part of a 7-1 run to take a 13-8 advantage. Another 5-1 spurt put the visitors ahead 18-11. The Wildcats used kills from Brittany Ford and Eile Harris in part of a 5-2 run to claw to within 20-16, but the Rams responded by scoring the final five points to take a 2-0 lead, 25-16.
With the Wildcats leading 11-9 in the third set, the Rams used a 6-1 run to change momentum and take a 15-12 lead. Behiels started a 5-2 with a kill before a Rawlinson kill and Ram error tied the set, 18-18. Once again the Rams had an answer, however, rattling off four straight to carry a 22-18 lead into a timeout. Genevieve Hughes came out of the break with back-to-back kills before Erin Bistany brought the Wildcats to within 22-21. A Ram service error had the Wildcats within 23-22, but a kill and a Wildcat attack error ended the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.
Behiels led the attack for the Wildcats, collecting nine kills with only one error on 32 swings. The freshman added 10 digs for the double-double as well. Miranda Shaw dished out 14 assists and is now 24 assists shy of 2,000 for her career. Addalyn Flores and Braunsberg led the back row with 12 digs each while Behiels and Ford chipped in with 10 each. Harris led the defense at the net with four block assists.
The Rams' Courtney Wensel put down 16 kills while hitting .389, adding 13 digs, four aces, and three block assists for a game-high 21.5 points.
The Wildcats head across town for their next contest, playing at Goldey-Beacom on Tuesday, October 31. First serve at the Joseph West Jones Center is set for 7:00 p.m.
