The Georgian Court University volleyball team stormed back to take the final three sets to steal a 3-2 victory from Wilmington University in a crucial Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match on Friday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 13-25, and 13-15.
The loss was the first time the Wildcats (11-12, 7-3 CACC) dropped a regular season home conference match since moving to the new gym for the 2012 season.
The Wildcats started hot in the first set, jumping out to a 10-3 lead to open the match. The Lions (12-10, 8-3 CACC) battled back to within one at 19-18, but the Wildcats closed out the first game by scoring six of the last seven points, including the last four points.
Leading 12-9 in the second set, the Wildcats had to battle from behind after the Lions took a 20-17 lead late in the game. Back-to-back points on a kill from Allison Briley and a Lions error brought the Wildcats to within one. A dump by Kasey Couch and another Lions error tied the set at 21 before a kill from Tatiana Rodriguez gave Georgian Court a 22-21 lead. Briley tied the set before Kaitlin DiGiacinto gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead after four straight points.
But the Lions battled back, starting with the third game, scoring 16 of 22 in the middle of the game to lead 20-13. A kill form Briley brought the home team to 23-18, but the Lions scored the final two points to stay alive, 25-18.
A seven point run in the middle of the fourth set allowed the Lions to grab a 16-6 lead. A kill by Erin Bistany brought the Wildcats to with in 19-11, but the Lions scored four straight to regain momentum, taking a 23-11 lead. The teams traded points on the final four, allowing the Lions to tie the match, 2-2, at 25-13.
The Lions scored the first four points of the fifth and deciding set before the Wildcats retaliated with the next three points. Georgian Court responded with three straight points to take a 7-3 lead, but the Wildcats took four straight to tie the match 7-7 prior to the court switch.
A Lion service error brought the score to 8-8 but the Lions scored three straight to grab an 11-8 lead. Down 12-9, the Wildcats scored two straight to climb back to within a point, but a service error swung the momentum back in favor of the Lions and gave the visitors a 13-11 lead. The team's traded the final four points, but it was a swing and put down by Rodriguez that sealed the comeback for the Lions, 15-13.
Alex Siolos collected her eighth triple-double of the season with 11 kills, 24 assists and 11 digs while Briley led the team with 15 kills. Briley only made two errors on her way to hitting .382 for the match. Bistany led the team with a .4321 attack percentage, collecting nine kills with only one error.
DiGiacinto picked up a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs while Couch added another double-double with 21 assists and 13 digs. Shelby Henderson led the team with 19 digs.
Defensively at the net, the Wildcats were again led by Bistany's five block assists while also adding a solo block. Siolos chipped in with four block assists while Briley and Eile Harris finished with three block assists each.
The Wildcats have a quick turnover as they look to get back into the win column as they head to CACC North Division foe Dominican on Saturday. The first serve is set for 12 p.m. in Orangeburg, N.Y.
