NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team wrapped up the 2024 Wildcat Regional Invitational with a five-set comeback victory over Southern Connecticut before falling to Shepherd, 3-1, on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match against SCSU were 26-28, 25-15, 19-25, 26-24, and 15-10.
Set scores for the match against Shepherd were 17-25, 25-19, 19-25, and 13-25.
Match vs. SCSU
Each team gave up a late lead in a set, but it was the Wildcats that benefitted the most, coming back from four match points in the fourth set to eventually force a fifth game. They used a 6-1 run to end the match as well.
The Wildcats held a 24-20 lead in the first set but couldn't close out the Owls. Five straight points gave the Owls their first set point, 25-24, but the Wildcats tied it at 25-25 and against at 26-26 before back-to-back points for the Owls completed the comeback, 28-26.
Wilmington held an 18-16 lead in the fourth set, but the Owls used a 4-0 run to force a timeout and take a 20-18 lead. Another 4-1 run gave the Owls match point, 24-20, but then kills from Karla Nunez-Rivera and Alex Serna and a Haley Holland ace off the tape kept the Wildcats alive. Another ace out of a timeout tied the set, 24-24, and then a third ace and a Brady Hrivnak kill sent the match into a fifth set, 26-24.
Trailing 8-6 at the switch, the Owls scored three straight to take a 9-8 lead. But Karla Nunez-Rivera sparked a 4-0 run with a kill, grabbing a 12-9 lead. After a service error, the Wildcats didn't allow the Owls back in it, scoring the final three points to take the match, getting a kill from Karalyn Osborne to finish it off.
Osborne and Nunez-Rivera led the Wildcats with 12 kills each, as Nunez-Rivera hit .458 with only one error in the match. Cam Justus dished out 28 assists to go with 10 digs while Gabby Barth led with 14 digs and two aces. Haley Holland collected seven aces in the match.
Match vs. Shepherd
The Wildcat Regional Invitational wrapped up with a match against Shepherd, and the Rams were able to remain undefeated on the season, 8-0, with the four-set victory over the Wildcats.
The first set was tied, 12-12, but then the Rams used a 6-1 run to take control. The Wildcats closed to 19-15 but then the Rams scored three straight again to take a 23-16 lead.
The Wildcats scored six straight for a 10-4 lead in the second set, and then another5-0 run to grab a 17-12 lead. The Rams battled back with a 6-0 run of their run for a 18-17 lead, but the Wildcats had an answer again with three straight for a 20-18 lead. The Wildcats then scored the final five points of the set, getting an ace from Brady Hrivnak to tie the match, 25-19.
The Wildcats led the third set, 16-13, but then the Rams started their comeback. They scored five straight in route to a 7-1 run to take a 20-17 lead. A kill from Eliza Schneider had the Wildcats to within 20-19, but then the Rams finished off the set with five straight to regain a 2-1 match lead.
Shepherd used a 10-0 run in the fourth to take command, 19-5. The Wildcats scored 5-of-6 to get within 20-10, but could only get as close as 23-13 before the Rams finished off the match, 25-13.
Eliza Schneider led the Wildcats with 12 kills while hitting .226, adding eight digs. Alex Serna had seven kills and four blocks while Karalyn Osborne finished with 16 assists, 14 digs, and five kills. Gabby Barth led the back row with 16 digs.
Up Next
The Wildcats begin Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play on Wednesday night when they head to Jefferson for a South Division battle. The opening serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.
