Wildcats Win Sixth Straight With 3-1 Victory Over Pace

File photo of Heather Pedrick who had 15 kills and 14 digs against Pace. Copyright 2022; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Dan Lauletta. Copyright 2022; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Dan Lauletta. September 10, 2022 vs. New Haven.
File photo of Heather Pedrick who had 15 kills and 14 digs against Pace. Copyright 2022; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Dan Lauletta. Copyright 2022; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Dan Lauletta. September 10, 2022 vs. New Haven.

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NEWARK, Del. - - Double-doubles by Heather Pedrick and Brice Hansen led the Wilmington University volleyball team to a 3-1 nonconference victory over Pace on Thursday night at the WU Athletics Complex.

Set scores for the match were 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, and 25-14.

The win is the sixth straight win for the Wildcats (9-11 overall), their longest streak since a six-gamer in the 2018 season. The 2015 team had a seven-match win streak from October 10 to October 27.

Heather Pedrick (Highland, Florida) led the attack once again for the Wildcats, putting down 15 kills with only three erorrs, hitting at a .353 clip. She also added 14 digs for the double-double, as well as three aces, and three block assists. Brice Hansen (Lyman, Wyoming) put down 12 kills with only three errors as well, hitting at a .237 clip. She added 13 digs for the double-double as well.

The first set was tied, 13-13, before the Wildcats turned the page. The Wildcats started with a 5-2 run, getting two kills from Pedrick to take an 18-15 lead. The Setters scored to make it 18-16, but then the Wildcats rattled off six straight points, spanning two Pace timeouts, to reach set point. Kacey Affrunti had a solo block to end the set, 25-17.

Pace put down a kill to get within 15-14, but then the Wildcats went on a 6-1 run to extend their lead. Pedrick and Hansen put down kills and then Katie Bushong picked up an ace. Kaiya Medina put down a kill to give the Wildcats a 21-15 lead. Kacey Affrunti gave the Wildcats set point and Medina gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead with a kill, 25-19.

The Wildcats fought back from a 13-8 deficit in the third set to lead 19-17. The teams traded points until a Pace service error and a block by Pedrick and Dorie Moore gave the Wildcats a 23-20 lead. But out of a Pace timeout, the Setters fired off five straight points to stay in the match, winning the third set, 25-23.

A 4-0 run early in the fourth set helped the Wildcats take the lead for good. Leading 12-11, Kacey Affrunti started a 7-0 run for the Wildcats, as Brice Hansen added three straight kills, a Katie Bushong and Kacey Affrunti block, an error, and a ball handling error and the Wildcats led 19-11. Heather Pedrick gave the Wildcats a 23-14 lead and then put the match away with another kill, 25-14.

Katie Bushong dished out 39 assists while adding eight digs and four block assists. Elly Collins led with 18 digs while Amelia Scarchilli added 13 digs. Dorie Moore got her hand on three block assists as well.

The Wildcats will look for number seven on Saturday when they return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action against Bloomfield. The first serve is set for 1:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.