SCRANTON, PA – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team earned a tri-match split during Saturday's second match with a five-set win (25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 26-24, 15-8) over New Jersey City University. The Colonels dropped the first match of the day to host University of Scranton 3-0 (12-25, 16-25, 16-25).

Wilkes now stands at 10-16 overall following the non-conference split.

Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) recorded a career high 13 digs and added 20 digs for her second career double-double in the victory over the Gothic Knights. Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) recorded 12 kills and had 15 digs for her fifth double-double. Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) tied her career high with nine kills in the match.

Alexa Cassel (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) directed the offense with 26 assists while having a career high 21 digs and added in seven kills. It was her ninth double-double. Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) registered a career high 28 digs while Nicole Fitzpatrick (Newhampton, NY/Minisink Valley) had a career high 11 and Jaclyn Rawa (West Chester, PA/Henderson) also recorded 11 digs as the team recorded a season high of 109 total digs.

In the opening set a Reedy kill and ace by Rawa culminated a four-point run that gave Wilkes a 10-7 lead. The Colonels would not relinquish that advantage the rest of the set as they won 25-21. New Jersey City (13-8) responded by taking a tight second set 25-23 and then went ahead 2-1 in the match with a 25-19 win in set three after starting with a 10-2 run.

The Gothic Knights went ahead 9-6 in the fourth set but a 4-1 run including kills by Cassel, Reedy and Fitzpatrick tied the score at 10-10. Wilkes gained control of the set with a six-point run to go ahead 19-14 as Reedy nailed three kills during the run. A 10-5 run by New Jersey City tied the set at 24-24 but the Colonels forced a fifth set following back-to-back kills by Cassel and Ousey to win 26-24.

New Jersey City gained a 6-3 lead in the fifth set but then Wilkes scored five in a row to go ahead 8-6. Reedy had two kills while Cassel added a kill and a block along with Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) in the rally. After the Gothic Knights made cut the lead to one at 9-8 the Colonels surged with the next six points to win 15-8 and take the five-set thriller. Carroll had two kills during the run while Hines added another. Fitzpatrick recorded a block along with Cassel and then recorded another solo block.

Paola Toldeo led New Jersey City with 16 kills, Katrina Nguyendon had 47 assists and Madeline Lopez recorded 32 digs, all match highs.

Wilkes held a lead in the early to mid-parts of the second set during the first match against Scranton (22-5) but the hosts were able to make the comeback. The Royals controlled action for the majority of the first and third sets.

Carroll led Wilkes with five kills in the match while Jessica Salus (Shavertown, PA/Lake Lehman) had four. Cassel had 11 assists while Carroll, Cassel, and Rawa each had seven digs.

Scranton was led by seven kills by Eryn Boken with 19 players contributing to the victory.

Wilkes returns to Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play on Tuesday to host Arcadia at the Marts Center at 7:00 p.m. The Colonels will be Lacing Up 4 Pediatric Cancer to support the Go4theGoal Foundation to help kids battling cancer.