DOYLESTOWN, PA – The Colonels hit the road to face Delaware Valley on Wednesday evening to open conference play for the 2021 season.  The match was the first Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play the Navy and Gold have taken part in since the 2019 season.
 
The Colonels (3-1, 1-0 MACF) dropped the first set against the Aggies (1-1, 0-1) in extra points, before rallying and taking the next three sets and the match in decisive fashion with a 3-1 (28-30, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17) victory.
 
The Colonels opened the first set with a trio of kills from first year outside hitter Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) to take a 6-2 lead.  The Aggies rallied back with a 11-2 run of their own to take a 13-8 lead midway through the set, but the Colonels tied it up with a 5-0 run.  After exchanging a few points, a 4-0 run put Delaware Valley up 21-17, but a late 5-1 run by the Colonels forced extra points.  A service ace followed by a block sealed the first back and forth set for the Aggies.
 
The Navy and Gold would not be deterred by the setback, and would only trail early in the second set as the set hung 5-4 in the Aggies favor.  Seven uninterrupted points put the set firmly in the Colonels' control thanks to the serving of first-year setter Alexa Cassel (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin).  The Colonels led in the second frame never shrunk below four points as they took a 25-17 victory.
 
Neither team led by more than three in the early goings of the third set, until a 4-0 Wilkes run broke a 13-13 tie in the middle of the set.  The Aggies would then reply with a 4-0 run of their own to knot the set up.  The Colonels would not be denied once again, as an 8-3 run would close the 25-20 set firmly in their tally.  The Colonels would control the fourth set much like the second, only trailing at 3-2 and never looking back after a 10-2 run.  The Navy and Gold would never lead by less than three for the remainder of the decisive 25-17 set.
 
Reedy was an offensive machine for the Colonels on the night, netting 19 kills and 16 digs for her career highs in both categories.  Cassel hit five service aces to lead the Navy and Gold while also hitting 11 kills and a career-high 20 assists.  Junior opposite hitter Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) set her personal best with 10 kills in the match.  Sophomore libero Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) tied with Reedy with a team-leading 16 digs on the evening, while first-year setter Jaclyn Rawa (West Chester, PA/Henderson) also set her career high with 19 assists.  First year middle hitter Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) had five blocks in the victory, a career high.
 
The Colonels look to build on their successful night as they travel for their first road tri-match of the season in Madison, N.J.  They play Mount Saint Vincent in a rematch at 12:00 p.m. before playing host Drew at 2:00 p.m.  The Colonels lost to the Dolphins this past weekend at home in their first match of the live stats era, while this is the first time they'll play Drew in the live stats era.