ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – The Wilmington University volleyball team opened the 2019 season in Rockville Centre, New York where they split contests with Saint Rose, winning 3-0, and Molloy, losing 0-3, on Saturday afternoon in the Molloy Tournament.
First Match vs. Saint Rose, W 3-0
In their first official match of the season, Wilmington started out hot as they took all three sets from Saint Rose, 25-18, 25-20, and 25-14.
The Wildcats would out-hit the Knights in all three sets to finish with 44 kills to their 25. In the first set of the match, the Wildcats had 15 kills off of 29 attempts for a .414 hitting percentage. Saint Rose had more errors (8) than kills (7) in the third set.
Bailey Andrews had 13 kills, four digs, and two blocks for the Wildcats while Mandy Behiels was just one kill sky of a double-double, with nine kills and 10 digs. Angel Oliver added eight kills and three blocks, while Rebecca Rawlinson had five blocks at the net.
Elly Collins led the back line, finishing with 16 digs as Genevieve Hughes had nine. Sarah Couch recorded a new single-match record for herself with 36 assists in the match.
Second Match vs. Molloy, L 0-3
Going for their second consecutive win of the day, Wilmington came up short, falling to the host team, 25-18, 25-19, and 25-20.
The Wildcats brought it to within three points after securing five points in row to make it a 21-18 game in favor of the Lions, but Molloy would take the first set scoring the final four points, 25-18.
The Lions were able to start out hot into the second set, as they scored the first nine points, before an attacking error gave the Wildcats their first point of the set. Wilmington would slowly chip away to try and bring the score closer to make it 21-16 in favor of the Lions thanks to a kill from freshman Dorie Moore. The Wildcats fought off two set points for Molloy, but the Lions were able to put down a kill to end the set, 25-19.
Three straight errors from the Lions gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead, but Molloy would fight back to take a one point lead until back-to-back kills from Emma Kongevold and Dorie Moore gave the Wildcats a 6-5 lead in the third set. Now trailing by three, the Lions scored five consecutive points to retake the lead 11-9, before another four point run would make it 15-10. Back-to-back kills from Angel Oliver and a Lions error brought the set to within two points, making it 15-13.
The Lions would keep the steady lead for the remainder of the set to win however, 25-20. Molloy would out-hit the Wildcats, 45-26.
Sophomore middle hitter Angel Oliver led the Wildcats with 11 kills and three blocks. Mandy Behiels added five kills and eight digs, while freshman Elly Collins grabbed 16 digs and Genevieve Hughes added eight. Sarah Couch had 23 assists for WilmU.
The Wildcats are back on the court tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Queens, N.Y. in a doubleheader against Franklin Pierce and Queens starting 1:00 p.m.