Wilkes Women's Volleyball Falls in Tri-Match Games
MIDDLETON, PA – Wilkes University women's volleyball drops both of their tri-match games between Rutgers University-Camden (14-25, 22-25, 20-25) and Penn State-Harrisburg (28-26, 11-25, 18-25, 18-25).
Wilkes goes to 1-8 on the season, while Rutgers-Camden improves to 3-5, and Penn State Harrisburg goes 6-4.
The first set between Wilkes and Rutgers-Camden saw a fair back and forth momentum between the two teams, as back-to-back blocks from senior Allison Murie (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) and sophomore Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) made the game 8-8 early in the first set. The Scarlet Raptors went on a 9-4 run that would force the Colonels to call a timeout. Rutgers-Camden would not be phased, as they would earn eight out of the last 10 points to take the first set.
The second set saw Wilkes take the first four points behind a kill and block from sophomores Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) and Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area). Rutgers-Camden would fight their way back to keep the second set close, making the game all tied up at 7-7. Junior hitter Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley) got two straight kills for the Colonels to make their lead 9-7. The Scarlet Raptors would go on another run, this time forcing Wilkes to call a timeout with a 18-13 lead. Kills by Reedy, Fitzpatrick, Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) and junior Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson), along with two aces from junior Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) kept the Colonels in the game 21-22 when Rutgers-Camden called a timeout. The Scarlet Raptors earned three of the last four points to take set two 25-22.
The third set saw Rutgers-Camden go up early on the Colonels 7-3. Capitalizing on mistakes and a block from Fitzpatrick kept Wilkes only down 13-8 before calling a timeout. After regrouping, Wilkes would go on a 6-2 run that saw a Fitzpatrick ace and a Hines kill that forced the Scarlet Raptors to call a timeout, with Wilkes being behind 15-14. Though both teams would go back and forth in points, Rutgers Camden ultimately took the third set and the series 25-20.
Ousey led the Colonels with seven kills, with Hines and Fitzpatrick both earning six of their own. Cassel had 21 assists in the first game, while adding 10 digs and three blocks as well. Yordy finished second with eight digs.
The second game against Penn State-Harrisburg saw early momentum for both teams, as Wilkes would go on a 5-1 run with a Carroll kill and two Reedy serving aces. The Lions would get their own run as they would go 5-0 to take a 6-5 lead. Both teams would be trading the lead back and forth until the Colonels would get four straight points, forcing Penn State-Harrisburg to call a timeout with Wilkes holding a 15-13 lead. Once more, both teams kept trading runs and eventually would be tied at 25-25. A Cassel kill and an error by the Lions gave Wilkes the first set 28-26.
The second set saw the Lions looking to tie up with Wilkes quickly, going on a 9-3 run that would force the Colonels to call a timeout early on. Penn State-Harrisburg would not be denied, as they would keep their momentum going, leading Wilkes 20-8. Kills from Ousey gave the Colonels some points, but the Lions would take the second set 25-11.
The third set saw both teams trying to gain an advantage over the other, with Ousey kills and a Yordy serving ace tied the game at 12-12. Penn State-Harrisburg would come out of the timeout and go on a 6-1 run and lead Wilkes 18-13. Though the Colonels would call their own timeout and get kills from Carroll, Reedy, and Hines, the Lions would take the third set 25-18.
The fourth set would continue the run of changing leads, with Ousey and Reedy kills to give Wilkes a 13-12 lead. Penn State-Harrisburg would call a timeout once more and take the lead from the Colonels, forcing them to take a timeout being down 17-14. Carroll would get the last three kills for Wilkes, but ultimately the Lions would take the fourth set and the series 25-18.
Reedy, Carroll, and Ousey all tied for first on the team with eight kills, with Reedy earning 14 digs in the series. Cassel had 23 assists in the series. Murie had two blocks along with Hines, Carroll, and senior Jessica Salus (Shavertown, PA/Lake Lehman).
The Colonels will stay on the road as they travel to Clarks Summit University on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for non-conference action.
