MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team split the opening day of the 2023 season, defeating host Millersville, 3-1, before falling to Indiana (Pa.), 3-1, on Friday afternoon inside Pucillo Gymnasium.
Set scores for the match against Millersville were 22-25, 25-14, 25-14, and 25-23.
Set scores for the match against Indiana (Pa.) were 20-25, 20-25, 28-26, and 22-25.
Match 1:
After hitting .111 as a team with eight errors in the opening set of the season, the nerves were settled as the Wildcats hit .292 and then .400 with only two errors in each of the next two games to come back and defeat the Marauders.
Trailing 18-13 in the first set, the Wildcats battled back to take a 20-19 lead. But Millersville scored the next three points to take a 22-20 lead before back-to-back points by Wilmington tied it again, 22-22. Millersville was able to close out the set by scoring the final three points of the set, taking the game, 25-22.
The Wildcats jumped out fast in sets two and three, and then scored four straight to take a 23-12 lead before winning 25-14 in game two. The Marauders fought to within 20-14 in game three, but the Wildcats scored the final five points to win the set, 25-14.
In the fourth set, the Wildcats led 15-13 before Millersville went on a 7-3 run to take a 20-18 lead. The Wildcats fought back with five straight and then split points to take the game, 25-23, and the match, 3-1.
Freshman Cailyn Smiley led the Wildcats in her collegiate debut with 13 kills and 11 digs. Brice Hansen put down nine kills while Alex Serna added seven kills and four block assists in her Wildcat debut. Elly Collins had 20 digs while Katie Bushong led with 36 assists. Shannen Litten had eight blocks, including two solos.
Match 2:
The Wildcats led the opening set, 19-18, but the Hawks scored seven of the final eight points to take the opener, 25-20.
Set two was tied at 20-20 before the Hawks scored the final five points of the set to take a 2-0 lead.
Wilmington held a 23-21 lead in the third game before the Hawks tied it up a 23-23. An attack error gave the Wildcats' set point, 24-23, but the Hawks fought off the point to again tie it at 24-24. The Hawks fought off two more set points before kills from Carleigh Santavy and Katie Bushong kept the Wildcats alive, 28-26.
The Wildcats got kills from Alex Serna and Cailyn Smiley to tie the fourth set, 22-22, but then the Hawks scored the final three points of the match to win, 25-22.
Alex Serna led the Wildcats with a .385 attack percentage, putting down six kills. Cailyn Smiley had eight kills and eight digs while Carleigh Santavy had five kills. Elly Collins had 15 digs and four aces while Katie Bushong dished out 23 assists.
Up Next:
The Wildcats wrap up the 2023 Marauder Clash with matches against Roberts Wesleyan and Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon. The matches are at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.