WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team tied the school record for single-season wins with their 18^th of the season as they split a pair of matches Saturday at the Marts Center on Senior Day. Marywood University defeated the Colonels 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-12) before Wilkes was victorious against Rutgers-Camden 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-13, 25-22).

Wilkes closed the regular season at 18-12 overall, tying the 2013 team for the school record for wins in a season over the 44-year history of the program.

Prior to the final match of the day against Rutgers-Camden (11-17), Wilkes Athletics recognized the lone Colonel senior in Shayna Fehrle (Philadelphia, PA/St. Hubert).

The Colonels took their first lead in the opening set against the Scarlet Raptors with a three-point run to make the score 5-3. Michele Natale (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) contributed a kill and a block and then Sierra Smith (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) had a kill in the run. Three consecutive kills by Christie Challenger (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain), Jamey Mikovich (Nesquehoning, PA/Panther Valley) and Alex Ferrier (Cressona, PA/Blue Mountain) extended the Wilkes lead to 12-7. The Colonels were able to keep a comfortable margin from there to win the first set 25-18.

The second set was tied at 14-14 before Rutgers-Camden was able to go on an 11-5 run to win 25-19 and even the match at 1-1.

Wilkes really hit its stride in the third set, rolling to a 25-13 win. Mikovich had three kills and Smith added another as the Colonels jumped ahead 6-1. Another extended run where Mikovich had two kills, Smith had one and Natale added a block brought the Wilkes lead to 14-5. A Smith kill and Mikovich service ace provided the Colonels with the final two points needed to go ahead in the match 2-1.

Rutgers-Camden came out strong in the fourth set by obtaining an 8-3 lead but a kill by Mikovich off the hands of the Scarlet Raptors block and an ace from Fehrle settled things for Wilkes. Kristie Najdek (Bethpage, NY/Island Trees) then went on a service run to put Wilkes out front 11-9. The Colonels extended the lead to 16-11 on a kill by Karlye Huffman (Sugar Run, PA/Wyalusing). The Scarlet Raptors then charged back to tie the set at 17-17 and the match was again knotted at 19-19. Two straight aces by Najdek were key points for the Colonels as they went ahead 23-20. Mikovich took it from there with a kill and an ace to end the match with a 25-22 win and a 3-1 match victory.

Wilkes dominated at the net with an 11-1 advantage in blocks. Mikovich led the way with 18 kills and 16 digs. She also added five blocks. Natale and Challenger each tied their career highs with six and five blocks respectively. Smith tied her career high with nine kills. Juliet Betke (Poplar Grove, IL/Belvidere North) had 12 digs while Huffman added eight and 35 assists.

Marywood (15-11) opened the morning strong in the 10:00 a.m. match as the Pacers raced out to a 9-2 lead in the opening set. The Colonels turned things around and went on a 12-5 run to even the match at 14-14. Challenger had two kills and Ferrier added one while Mikovich, Laura Booths (Lake Ariel, PA/Western Wayne), Betke and Huffman all had one service ace during the scoring run. The Pacers regained control with the next three points however and never looked back as the visitors won the first set 25-19.

The second set began the same way, with Marywood jumping ahead 9-2. Wilkes went on its first extended run late in the set when the Colonels scored five-straight points to make the score 24-16 but Marywood finished off the set with a kill at 25-16 to take a 2-0 match lead.

A kill by Ferrier and an ace by Betke evened the score in set three at 2-2 but Marywood scored the next six points to lead 8-2. Mikovich slammed a kill to the floor to end a four-point run for the Colonels that made it 8-6. Mikovich again had a kill to make it 11-9 and Natale had a kill to make it 13-11 but the two point margin was as close as the Colonels could get. Marywood scored 12 of the next 13 points to take the set 25-12 and sweep the match.

Mikovich led Wilkes with four kills and 13 digs against the Pacers. Huffman had 10 assists and seven digs. Fehrle finished the match with nine digs.

The Colonels now await to hear if they will be continuing their season with postseason play in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament.