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NEWARK, Del. - - Freshman Jessica Connelly led the offensive charge while the defense enjoyed a block party at the net as the Wilmington University volleyball team got back in the win column on Thursday at the WU Athletics Complex, defeating Chestnut Hill, 3-0, to sweep the season series from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division foe.
Set scores for the match were 25-19, 25-22, and 25-11.
Jessica Connelly (Wake Forest, N.C.) was the only student-athlete on the court with double digit kills, finishing with 11 on the night. The Wildcats (18-11, 12-3 CACC) dominated the play at the net, out-blocking the Griffins (7-14, 4-10 CACC), 12-4, and putting down 10 more kills with 10 less errors than the visitors.
The Wildcats turned a 9-7 deficit into a 16-10 lead with a 9-1 run. Out of a Chestnut Hill timeout, the Wildcats picked up a block from Angel Oliver and Jessica Connelly and then a kill from Jessica Connelly for the 16-10 lead. The Griffins kept the deficit to within five, 21-16, but then a kill from Dorie Moore and a block from Moore and Connelly pushed it to 23-26. The Griffins staved off two set points, but an error gave the set to the Wildcats, 25-19.
The Wildcats used another big run in the middle of the second set, turning an 8-5 deficit into a 15-9 lead with a 10-1 run. A block from Dorie Moore and Katie Bushing gave the Wildcats a 23-17 lead and then Heather Pedrick put down a massive kill for set point, 24-19. But the Griffins battled back, saving three set points to claw back to within 24-22. After a WilmU timeout, Heather Pedrick put down another termination to take a 2-0 lead, 25-22.
The big run in the third set came early in the game, as the Wildcats got two aces from Angel Oliver, a kill from Mandy Behiels, and a block from Dorie Moore and Katie Bushong to take a 10-3 lead. The Wildcats were leading 16-10 when a kill from Angel Oliver sparked a 5-0 run, capped by a Behiels kill, to take a 21-10 lead. After the Griffins earned one point, the Wildcats scored four straight to end the match, getting a pair of kills from Behiels in the run, including match point, 25-11.
Connelly hit .290 in the match with only two errors, adding five block assists as well. Behiels finished with eight kills and 12 digs while Heather Pedrick added seven kills, 12 assists, and 13 digs. Angel Oliver put down six kills to go with six block assists and two solo blocks for a team high 14 points.
Katie Bushong led the team with 15 assists while Elly Collins led the team with 15 digs.
The Wildcats are home for two more matches, starting with Senior Day on Saturday afternoon. They host Post in a CACC cross divisional contest with the first serve set for 1:00 p.m.
