PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team couldn't keep the momentum together from a big second set win at Holy Family, falling to the Tigers on the road in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match on Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center.
Set scores for the match were 25-18, 9-25, 25-19, and 25-19.
After hitting .270 and .310 as a team in the two previous matches the Wildcats couldn't stay in rhythm against the Tigers, putting down 37 kills with 19 errors on 141 swings, accumulating a .128 hitting percentage. The Tigers came up with 76 digs in the match, while hitting .264 on the attack. The Wildcats had eight blocks, but only 50 digs.
The Wildcats put together a 4-0 run to take a 13-10 lead in the first set, but then the Tigers answered with an 8-2 spurt to regain an 18-15 lead. Kills by Dorie Moore and Heather Pedrick brought the Wildcats to within 18-17, but then the Tigers scored three straight to take a 21-17 lead and the final four points, with the final three kills by Allyssa Hartney, to win the set, 25-18.
Wilmington came out firing in the second set, blitzing the Tigers out of the gates with the first four points and nine of the first 11 to take a 9-2 lead. A Tiger attack error started a 8-0 run by the Wildcats, getting seven points on Elly Collins' serve to take a 22-7 lead. Kacey Affrunti gave the Wildcats set point before Brice Hansen tied the match, 1-1, with an ace, 25-9.
The third set was close with the Tigers leading 7-6 before the home team rattled off an 11-2 run to take a commanding 18-8 lead. The run continued until the Tigers led 22-11. The Wildcats tried to battle back, getting back-to-back blocks by Dorie Moore and Jess Connelly and then a Connelly kill and a Tigers' error to claw to within 22-15. The Tigers earned set point, 24-16 before the Wildcats scored three points, getting to within 24-19, but Allyssa Hartney ended the set with a kill, 25-19.
The Tigers came out of the set break on a mission, going on a 9-1 run to lead 9-2. Another short 3-0 spurt gave the Tigers a 14-6 lead. A Jess Connelly kill started a 6-0 run to get within 14-12. A block by Kacey Affrunti and Heather Pedrick saw the Wildcats get to within 18-17, but the Tigers had an answer once more. They scored the next five points to take a 23-17 lead, and then traded points until a Zoe Krause kill ended the match, 25-19.
Kacey Affrunit led the Wildcats attack with 10 kills while adding four block assists. Heather Pedrick put down eight kills to go with 10 digs and four blocks while Brice Hansen put down seven kills and nine digs. Katie Bushong dished out 31 assists while Elly Collins led the back row with 15 digs.
The Tigers' Allyssa Hartney finished with 19 kills while hitting .256.
The Wildcats return home on Wednesday with another CACC South Division contest, as they host Chestnut Hill at the WU Athletics Complex. The opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m.