WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team lost both matches during its Homecoming Tri-Match against New Jersey City University and Neumann University in non-conference play at the Marts Center Saturday. New Jersey City won the first match 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-20). Neumann defeated Wilkes to close the day 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20).

Wilkes dropped to 3-14 overall with the losses while New Jersey City finished the day with a 10-6 record and Neumann moved to 7-10 overall with two wins.

The first match saw the Gothic Knights get out to an 11-6 lead. Wilkes closed the lead to 19-18 following two kills by Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) and an ace by Emily Gentzel (Yaphank, NY/Bellport). The two sides traded points from there as New Jersey City won 25-23 in the first set.

The Colonels went ahead 16-12 in the second set following a five-point run where Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley) had two kills, Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) added a kill and Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) contributed an ace. Wilkes led 19-14 following kills by Ousey, Reedy, and Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) but then the Gothic Knights scored 11 of the next 13 points to win 25-21 and go ahead 2-0.

A Lylah Oswald (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing) ace put Wilkes up 15-14 in set three but New Jersey City finished strong again with 11 of the final 16 points to win the set 25-20 and sweep the match.

Reedy led Wilkes with 10 kills while Fitzpatrick added eight on a .500 hitting percentage. Ousey also had eight kills and Hines had six with a .667 hitting percentage. Cassel finished with 27 assists and Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) led the Colonels with 13 digs.

Brenda Gonzalez had a match-high 14 kills for NJCU and Sydney Lore had 37 assists.

In the final match Wilkes led 10-6 in the opening set following an Allison Murie (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) kill and an error on Neumann. The Knights fought back for the lead, going ahead by as many as three before a block by Fitzpatrick and Murie made the score 20-19 Neumann. The Knights then won the final five points to win 25-19.

Wilkes broke open a close second set with six points in a row, helped by three kills from the arm of Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe), to lead 18-12. Neumann closed to within two at 22-19 but then a kill by Ousey and three Knights' errors helped the Colonels tie the match 1-1 with a 25-21 win.

Neumann used a five-point run to lead 17-12 in the third set but Wilkes tied it 19-19 with its own five-point rally. Yordy had two aces during the run and Ousey had a kill. The Knights scored six of the final nine points to win the set 25-22 and go ahead 2-1 in the match.

The Knights got out to a 16-8 lead in the fourth set before a seven-point run for the Colonels made it 16-15. Fitzpatrick had two aces and a kill during the run while Hines and Ousey combined for a block and Ousey added a kill. Neumann scored nine of the last 14 points to win 25-20, taking the match 3-1.

Ousey led Wilkes with 16 kills on a .324 hitting percentage. Cassel recorded 28 assists and a season-high 15 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Fitzpatrick added 15 digs and six kills. Carroll tied her season-high with eight kills and Hines tied her career-high with five blocks.

Regan Hickey had a match-high 19 kills and Dani Smith finished with 40 assists for Neumann. Hickey also added six aces.

Wilkes travels to the City College of New York Monday night for a non-conference match at 7:00 p.m.