NEWARK, Del. - - In the first meeting since falling to Dominican in the 2012 CACC Tournament Championship match last November, the Wilmington University volleyball team took care of business, 3-1, against the visiting Chargers on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 25-19, 21-25, 25-17, and 25-20.
The Wildcats (15-8, 10-1 CACC) extended its winning streak to five straight matches, exacting a bit of revenge against the team that ended their season a year ago. Dominican (5-18, 5-8, CACC) hasn't had the same type of season as they have had last year, falling for the fifth time in their previous six matches.
The Wildcats jumped out to an 18-8 lead in the first set, using the strength of two five-point runs to open the margin. The Chargers closed the game to 24-19 before Alex Siolos picked up one of her four kills on the afternoon to finish off the set, 25-19.
Trailing 14-13 in the second set, the Chargers put together a string of six straight points to take the lead for good in the game. The Wildcats clawed to with 23-21 with four consecutive points, but Dominican was able to finish off the Wildcats, 25-21, with back-to-back points.
Another early lead in the third set allowed the Wildcats to take the third set, as four straight points put the Wildcats ahead 14-6. The team's traded points until the Chargers put three points in a row on the board to close the gap to 19-15. Now at 20-17, the Wildcats closed the game on a five point run on the strength of Kaitlin DiGiacinto's serve and kills by Katie Shorter and Allison Briley to take a 2-1 lead.
Tied at 8-8 in the fourth set, the Wildcats scored six straight points to take a 14-8 lead and never looked back. A double block by Shorter and Hannah McQueen followed by a kill by Briley, the Wildcats held an 18-10 lead. Now leading 19-14, another four straight points pushed the Wildcats' lead to 23-14 before Dominican scored six of the next seven points to close the gap to four at 24-20. But a Dominican attack error gave the set, and the match, to the Wildcats, 25-20.
Briley led the team with 16 kills while hitting at a .387 clip for the match. Shorter added 12 kills at a .321 clip on the offensive side while leading the defense with three solo blocks and five block assists. DiGiacinto was the only other Wildcat to pick up double digit kills, finishing with 11 kills. The sophomore picked up another double-double on the year, helping the defense with a match high 19 digs as well.
Siolos quarterbacked the offense, dishing out a season high 33 assists while also picking up a double-double with 13 digs.
As a team, the Wildcats hit .226 for the match, collecting a .361 attack percentage in the first set and a .308 percentage in the third set.
The Wildcats have another tough match on Sunday, as they head to fellow CACC South Division leaders Georgian Court for a conference showdown. The Wildcats took a five set thriller here at the WU Athletics Complex earlier this season against Georgian Court. Tomorrow's match is set for a 12 p.m. start.