NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team took the opening set from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division leaders, but Bridgeport answered with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night at WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match for the Wildcats were 25-21, 10-25, 22-25, and 23-25.
After the Purple Knights (15-4,8-1 CACC) battled back to tie the opening game, 14-14, the Wildcats took control for good with an 8-1 run of their own, leading 22-15. Bridgeport closed the gap to as close as 23-20, but Sydney Barret gave the Wildcats set point with a kill. Shannen Litten then put the game away with a kill, 25-21.
Shannen Litten came up with an ace in the second set to bring the Wildcats to within 11-7, but then the Purple Knights went on a 10-1 run to take a 21-8 lead. Back-to-back kills from Alex Serna and Cailyn Smiley brought the Wildcats to within 21-10, but the Knights ran off the final four points to tie the match, 25-10.
A 6-0 Bridgeport run put the visitor up, 11-6, in the third set before another 4-0 spurt saw them move ahead, 16-9. Cailyn Smiley sparked a run with a kill, as the Wildcats rattled off eight of the next 11 points to close the gap to within 20-18. A Brice Hansen kill had the Wildcats to within 22-21, but then the Purple Knights scored back-to-back points to earn set point, 24-21. The Wildcats saved one set point before they finished off the game with a kill, 25-22.
A 9-3 run early in the fourth set put the Purple Knights up, 13-7, before the Wildcats stormed all the way back and eventually took the lead. The Wildcats had three separate 3-0 spurts, accumulating to a 9-2 run to take an 18-17 lead. The teams traded the next five points before Bridgeport took the lead, 21-20. A service error tied the set, 21-21, but then Bridgeport scored back-to-back points to regain a 23-21 lead. The Wildcats saved one match point with a Brice Hansen kill, but Bridgeport finished it off on the next point, 25-23.
Brice Hansen led the Wildcats with 10 kills and 17 digs while Shannen Litten finished with nine kills, two aces, and three blocks. Cailyn Smiley put down eighth terminations while Alex Serna added seven kills. Katie Bushong had 31 assists and 14 digs while Elly Collins added 14 digs as well.
The Wildcats will look to snap their three-match losing streak on Tuesday when they head to Philadelphia to play Holy Family. The first serve is set for 6:00 p.m.