Wilmington Volleyball Uses Blocks and Aces to Surpass USciences, 3-1, on Homecoming  

Wilmington University's Dorie Moore (10 and Mandy Bhiels (4) defend against University of the Sciences  during their volleyball match at the Wilmington University Sports Complex in Newark, Delaware, September 28th, 2019n Photo by Trudy Spence
Wilmington University's Dorie Moore (10 and Mandy Bhiels (4) defend against University of the Sciences during their volleyball match at the Wilmington University Sports Complex in Newark, Delaware, September 28th, 2019n Photo by Trudy Spence

Press Release Written by sports information graduate intern Mary Kate Rumbaugh

NEWARK, Del. – In the first contest of a tripleheader at the WU Athletics Complex, the Wilmington University volleyball team defeated USciences, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon to kickstart the 2019 Homecoming Weekend.

Set points for the match were 25-16, 19-25, 25-22, and 25-22.

After an 8-0 run by USciences (3-9, 1-2 CACC) in the first set, Wilmington (10-5, 2-1 CACC) went on a 14-point run themselves to take a 10-point lead to make it 22-12. Bailey Andrews would get the kill with a swing off the block and out of bounds to give WilmU set number one, 25-16.

A seven-point run in the second set for the Devils would help them back in it and take the lead for the first time, 15-12. Wilmington would tie things up at 15 apiece, but USciences would regain the lead and go on a 6-1 run to end the second set, 25-19, and tie the match up 1-1.

Back-to-back kills from Mandy Behiels would start a five-point run to help the Wildcats take a 10-5 lead in the third set, before another four-point run courtesy of Sarah Couch who had a kill and three straight service aces gave WilmU an 18-9 lead. The Devils would hold on though, making it a one-point lead for the Wildcats, but a service error by the Devils gave Wilmington set point, before Bailey Andrews finished it off with a kill to take set number three, 25-22, to retake the lead, 2-1.

In a tight fourth set, the Wildcats gained the lead thanks to five straight points to put them up 19-14. With a service ace from Mandy Behiels, the Wildcats would take a 23-16 lead, but the Devils would not go away, scoring five straight points to get within two. USciences would make it 24-22, but Rebecca Rawlinson would have the final answer with the kill to take the fourth and final set, 25-22.

Mandy Behiels led the team with her seventh double-double of the season as she had 12 kills and 10 digs to go along with five service aces. Sarah Couch also notched a double-double with 31 assists and 11 digs. Bailey Andrews and Rebecca Rawlinson would both collect seven kills apiece, as Rawlinson added 10 blocks, including seven solo which is tied for second in program history in a single-match.

Angel Oliver would have six kills to go along with six blocks, as Dorie Moore also added six kills. Freshman Elly Collins grabbed 14 digs in the back row for the Wildcats, while Rianne Nickerson added nine.

WilmU will head to Jefferson Wednesday night in a CACC matchup starting at 6:00 p.m.