SUBJECT: Wilmington Volleyball Drops A Pair to Start AIC Yellow Jacket Invitational
DATE: September 19, 2014
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team dropped a pair of matches to start the AIC Yellow Jacket Invitational on Friday night, falling 3-1 to New Haven before falling in straight sets to Saint Rose.
Set scores against New Haven were 19-25, 26-24, 19-25, and 15-25.
Set scores against Saint Rose were 19-25, 21-25, and 16-25.
Shelby Henderson kept the Wildcats (3-9 overall) alive in the first match, collecting 34 digs in the four sets. She also picked up a pair of service along the way.
Trailing 20-18 in the second set, the Wildcats used a run of five consecutive points to grab a 23-20 lead, before a New Haven attack error gave the Wildcats set point. The Chargers rallied to tie the set at 24-24 but back-to-back attack errors allowed the Wildcats to tie the match at 1-1.
In a neck and neck third set, the Wildcats had the game tied at 16-16 and trailed only 20-19 before a Chargers run of five straight points closed out the third frame.
The Chargers jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the fourth set before winning the final five points of the game to take the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.
Allison Briley paced the offense with 14 kills and a .205 attack percentage while Kaitlin DiGiacinto added 13 kills. Alex Siolos led the team with 24 assists while Kasey Couch added 20 helpers. DiGiacinto (18), Couch (14), Siolos (14), and Courtney MacDonald (10), all finished with double digit digs.
In the nightcap, The Wildcats put a string of five straight points together to tie the first set 17-17 before Saint Rose responded with a run of three consecutive points of their own. The Wildcats brought it back to within one at 20-19, but the Golden Knights scored five of the next six points to take the first set.
Down 23-17 in the second set, kills by Siolos, Erin Bistany, and DiGiacinto brought the Wildcats to within 23-20, but after a timeout the Golden Knights scored two of the next three points to take the set, 25-21.
The third set was tied at 10-10 before multiple runs of four straight points pushed the Saint Rose lead to 21-13. A block gave the Golden Knights set and match points as they came away with the 25-16 third set win.
Henderson added 17 more digs on the night while Siolos led the team with eight kills and adding 10 assists and 14 digs. Couch dished out 14 assists while DiGiacinto chipped in with 17 digs. MacDonald also came up with 10 digs in the match.
Two more matches round out the AIC Yellow Jacket Invitational for the Wildcats on Saturday, as they play host American International before finishing with Franklin Pierce.