NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team are back in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament for the fourth season in a row and will travel to Bridgeport for a First Round matchup on Monday night.
The Wildcats earned the South Division's Third Seed by virtue of a 12-5 CACC record. Bridgeport is the only team in the CACC Tournament that the Wildcats did not defeat at least once during the regular season. The Purple Knights earned the North Division's Second Seed in their first season in the CACC with a 12-6 CACC mark.
The Purple Knights defeated the Wildcats, 3-1, in the regular season, also held on Bridgeport's campus. But all the sets were close, with two of them going to extra points and all sets being decided by a slim two points. Bridgeport won the match with set scored of 26-24, 23-25, 27-25, and 25-23 back on October 22.
Tickets/Admission for CACC Volleyball Tournament:
Adults: $10.00
Students, Children and Senior Citizens: $5.00
Links to Follow the CACC Volleyball Tournament First Round:
Live Stats at Bridgeport: https://www.ubknights.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/boxscores/20221107_ntm1.xml
Live Video: https://caccnetwork.com/ubknights/
CACC Tournament Championship Page: https://www.caccathletics.org/sports/Championship/2022-23/WVB
Scouting the South's No. 3 Wilmington University Wildcats:
The Wildcats head into postseason play on a four-match winning streak, going 7-3 in their last 10 matches overall. Since the 3-1 loss at Bridgeport on October 22, the Wildcats defeated West Chester, 3-0, Goldey-Beacom, 3-0, Caldwell, 3-0, and most recently Holy Family, 3-0.
As a team, the Wildcats lead the entire CACC in averaging 16.62 digs per set and second in the CACC in averaging 2.04 blocks per set. The Wildcats are third in the CACC with a 0.193 attack percentage and fifth in the league in averaging 11.45 kills per set.
The offense is led by a pair of Wildcats, as Kacey Affrunti leads the team and is 13th in the CACC in averaging 2.80 kills per set from the middle. Heather Pedrick puts down 2.69 kills per set, ranking 15th in the CACC. Brice Hansen is third on the team and 22nd in the league in averaging 2.42 kills per set. Affrunti is third in the CACC and 59th in all of NCAA DI in hitting 0.346 on the year. Katie Bushong is sixth in the CACC in dishing out 8.33 assists a set, but is averaging 9.85 assists per set since the team went to a 5-1 rotation in the 10th match of the year.
Defensively, Elly Collins leads the CACC and is 34th in all of NCAA DII with 508 total digs. She is second in the CACC in averaging 4.66 digs per set, ranking 63rd in the country. Kacey Affrunti has accumulated the 18th most blocks in the country this season with 116, ranking second in the CACC in averaging 1.06 blocks per set. Heather Pedrick is 13th in the CACC in averaging 3.14 digs per set while Dorie Moore is eighth in the CACC in averaging 0.78 blocks per set.
Scouting the North's No. 2 University of Bridgeport Purple Knights:
Bridgeport completed its first season in the CACC with a 13-18 regular season record and a 12-6 conference mark. They are 7-3 in their last matches overall, but lost their regular season finale, 3-0, to Daemen on Sunday.
The Purple Knights are led by Paola Hernandez who is fourth in the CACC In averaging 3.39 kills per set from the outside. Freshman middle hitter Marissa Mullins averaging 3.24 kills per set and is second in the CACC in hitting .367 on the year. The team's third option is Lucia Tomiello who averages 2.83 kills per set.
The team's setter Jaden Drollinger leads the CACC with 76 aces this year, averaging 0.66 per set. She is also third in the CACC in dishing out 9.37 assists per set. Isabella Carmona-Bailey ninth in the CACC in averaging 3.66 digs per set.
As a team, the Purple Knights are fourth in averaging 11.87 kills per set, and fourth in hitting at a 0.185 clip. The team is sixth in the CACC in averaging 14.06 digs per set and tied for seventh overall in averaging 1.35 blocks per set.
Wilmington in the CACC Tournament:
2004 (2-0): #1 Wilmington def. #5 NJIT, 3-0; #1 Wilmington def. #2 Teikyo Post, 3-1
2005 (1-1): #4 Wilmington def. #5 Bloomfield, 3-2; #1 Goldey-Beacom def. #4 Wilmington, 3-0
2006 (0-1): #4 Goldey-Beacom def. #5 Wilmington, 3-2
2007: DNP
2008 (0-1): S#1 Georgian Court def. S#4 Wilmington, 3-0
2009: DNP
2010 (0-1): S#2 Philadelphia def. S#3 Wilmington, 3-0
2011 (1-1): S#3 def. N#2 Dominican, 3-1; S#1 Holy Family def. S#3 Wilmington, 3-1
2012 (2-1): S#1 Wilmington def. N#4 Post, 3-0; S#1 Wilmington def. S#3 Georgian Court, 3-2; N#1 Dominican def. S#1 Wilmington, 3-0
2013 (1-1): S#1 Wilmington def. N#4 Felician, 3-0; S#3 Georgian Court def. S#1 Wilmington, 3-0
2014 (1-1): S#2 Wilmington def. N#3 Dominican, 3-0; N#1 Caldwell def. S#2 Wilmington, 3-1
2015 (1-1): S#2 Wilmington def. N#3 Caldwell, 3-2; N#1 Post def. S#2 Wilmington, 3-2
2016: DNP
2017: DNP
2018 (0-1): N#1 Post def. S#4 Wilmington, 3-0
2019 (0-1): N#1 Felician def. S#4 Wilmington, 3-1
2020: DNP – COVID-19
2021 (1-1): S#2 Wilmington def. N#3 Post, 3-0; N#1 Bloomfield def. S#2 Wilmington, 3-2
Overall: 10-12
Season and All-Time Records vs. CACC Tournament Semifinal Participants:
North Division:
#1 Bloomfield College Bears: 2022 – vs. W 3-2; All-Time – 15-6; CACC Tournament – 1-0
#2 University of Bridgeport Purple Knights: 2022 - @ L 3-1; All-Time – 0-1; CACC Tournament – 0-0
#3 Dominican University Chargers: 2022 – vs. W 3-0; All-Time – 21-3; CACC Tournament – 2-1
#4 Post University Eagles: 2022 - @ W 3-2; All-Time – 18-6; CACC Tournament – 2-2
South Division:
#1 Thomas Jefferson University Rams: 2022 – @ L 3-2, vs. W 3-1; All-Time – 9-24; CACC Tournament – 0-1
#2 Holy Family University Tigers: 2022 - @ L 3-1, vs. W 3-0; All-Time – 17-20; CACC Tournament – 0-1
#3 Wilmington University Wildcats
#4 Chestnut Hill College Griffins: 2022 – vs. W 3-1, @ L 3-1; All-Time – 26-5; CACC Tournament – 0-0
2021 CACC Volleyball Championship Schedule:
Quarterfinals (Monday, November 7, at Higher Seeds)
S#4 Chestnut Hill at N#1 Bloomfield – 6:00 p.m.
N#3 Dominican at S#2 Holy Family – 6:00 p.m.
N#4 Post at S#1 Jefferson – 6:00 p.m.
S#3 Wilmington at N#2 Bridgeport – 6:00 p.m.
Semifinals (Saturday, Nov. 12, at Holy Family, Philadelphia, Pa.)
Bloom/Chestnut Hill Winner vs. Holy Family/Dominican Winner (1 or 3:30 p.m.)
Jefferson/Post Winner vs. Bridgeport/Wilmington Winner (1 or 3:30 p.m.)
** - Highest remaining seed will play in the day's first semifinal match
Championship Final (Sunday, Nov. 12, at Holy Family, Philadelphia, Pa.)
Semifinal Match #1 Winner vs. Semifinal Match #2 Winner (12 p.m.)