Closing out its nonconference schedule, the Wilmington University volleyball team defeated Kutztown, 3-1, on Tuesday night in the Keystone Arena.
Set scores for the match were 27-29, 27-25, 25-19, and 25-20.
After dropping the first set, the Wildcats (9-11 overall) battled back to take the next three sets, winning their third match in a row and five of their last six overall.
Junior Alex Siolos led the team with her seventh triple-double of the season, putting down 16 kills to go along with 23 assists and 12 digs. She also led the team with 17.5 points, getting a hand on three block assists as well. Sophomore Allison Briley was the only other Wildcat in double digit kills, collecting 13 on the night to go along with nine digs.
Junior Hannah Karas collected a career best nine kills without committing an error on Tuesday night, hitting a team best .500 for the match. She also picked up the lone solo block of the night for the Wildcats.
Leading 19-16 in the first set, the Bears battled back to take a 20-19 lead and held a 24-22 advantage before the Wildcats hung around. Erin Bistany and Siolos tied the set with back-to-back kills at 24-24, but Kutztown scored three of the final four points to earn the 29-27 first set win.
The roles were reversed at the end of the second set, as Wilmington held the 24-22 advantage. Kutztown held off a pair of set points to tie the match at 24-24. The teams traded points before a Bistany kill and a Kutztown attack error allowed the Wildcats to tie the match, 27-25.
Trailing 15-14 in the third, the Wildcats went on a run of winning six of the next seven points to take a 19-16 lead. Leading 20-18, kills from Siolos and Eile Harris, combined with a block by Siolos and Harris, and an attacking error on Kutztown gave the Wildcats set point, 24-18. Harris ended the set with another kill, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead, 25-19.
The Wildcats didn't wait around in the fourth set, scoring six consecutive points to take a 17-10 lead in the middle of the game. Kutztown closed the gap to within three at 22-19, but kills by Kaitlin DiGiacinto and Karas gave the visitors match point before a Kasey Couch ace ended the set and the match, 25-20.
DiGiacinto finished with a match high 24 digs, bringing her to 999 digs for her career. Shelby Henderson, who collected her 1,000th career dig earlier this season, finished with 20 while Siolos chipped in with 12.
DiGiacinto will have a chance to join Henderson and become the seventh member in program history in the 1,000-career dig club when the Wildcats head to Bloomfield on Saturday. The first serve is set for 12:00 p.m.