READING, PA – The Wilkes University Colonels traveled to PSU-Berks in a non-conference tilt Monday night.
 
The Colonels (9-14) and Nittany Lions (10-13) slugged it out in the second five-set match for the Colonels in a row, but the Navy and Gold would not be denied as a couple of runs in the fifth set pushed them to a 3-2 (25-23, 15-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-8) victory
 
The teams bounced back and forth early in the first set before the Colonels went on a 8-2 run to take a mid-set lead at 18-12.  PSU-Berks answered with a 7-2 run to claw back within one point and eventually tied the set up at 23 all, but the Navy and Gold came out ahead 25-23.  After a similar start to the second set, it was the Nittany Lion's turn to take control of the set, going on a set-ending 11-2 run to tie the match at one all.
 
A 4-1 run early in the third set allowed the Navy and Gold to keep pace with the Nittany Lions, and neither team would lead by more than two points until a 4-1 Nittany Lion run gave them a 17-14 lead.  An 8-2 Navy and Gold run put them at a 22-19 advantage and they maintained the edge to the end of the 25-22 set to take their second set of the match.  After the early moments of the fourth set, the Colonels never got closer than four points to PSU-Berks as they forced a fifth and decisive set.
 
A pair of kills from junior opposite hitter Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) gave the Colonels a 5-2 lead in the final frame.  The Nittany Lions would not see the lead for the remainder of set and match, with a Navy and Gold 6-2 run putting the evening firmly in their hands.
 
Carroll recorded 11 kills, tied for the team lead with first year outside hitter Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area), and 16 digs, behind only sophomore liberio Ali Yordy's (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) 17.  First year setter Alexa Cassel (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) fueled the Colonel offense with 33 assists and three service aces, while sophomore middle hitter Nicole Fitzpatrick (Newhampton, NY/Minisink Valley) shined at the net with six blocks.  Sophomore opposite hitter Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) had four blocks of her own, while first year setter Jaclyn Rawa (West Chester, PA/Henderson) also had a trio of service aces.  The four blocks were Ousey's career high, while Fitzpatrick had a career high eight kills.  
 
The Colonels return home Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. to continue their Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom slate at the Marts Center.  They play host to DeSales, who the Colonels are 1-13 against in the live stats era and lost the 2019 version of the series 0-3