WASHINGTON, DC – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team dropped its Landmark Conference match at Catholic University on Saturday afternoon in four sets (25-18, 25-14, 20-25, 25-22) on Franny Murray Court.

With the loss the Wilkes dropped to 1-6 in Landmark Conference matches and to 9-15 overall on the season. Catholic improved to 4-2 in the league and 17-8 overall.

The Colonels led 7-4 early in the first set following a kill by Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson). The Cardinals tied the score a couple of times before Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) put Wilkes ahead again at 11-10 with a kill. After Catholic went ahead 13-11 Wilkes scored three in a row to go back ahead 14-13 as Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) and Ousey combined for a block. From there Catholic closed the set on a 12-4 run to win 25-18 and go up 1-0 in the match.

The second set was tight in the early going as a Reedy ace made the score 12-10 in favor of the hosts. Seven consecutive points for Catholic put the lead firmly in its grasp, eventually taking the set 25-14 for a 2-0 lead in the match.

Wilkes got off to a strong start in the third set and led 5-1 following two Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) aces. An Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) ace pushed Wilkes to a 9-3 lead. After Catholic made a run to make it 12-10 the Colonels responded with the next four points with kills coming from Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley), Emma Sanford (Las Vegas, NV/Arbor View), and Hines. The Cardinals again closed to within two at 20-18 but Wilkes used kills by Ousey, Fitzpatrick, and Reedy and a final ace by Jenna Baron (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) to win the set 25-20 and extend the match to a fourth set.

Catholic jumped ahead 5-1 in the fourth set and led 18-9 before Wilkes scored six points to close the gap to three. The Cardinals maintained its lead with the Colonels eventually working it to two points at 24-22 but a double block ended the set 25-22 in favor of Catholic as the Cardinals won the match 3-1.

Reedy led the Colonels with 11 kills. Fitzpatrick added eight and Hines seven. Cassel had 27 assists in the match. Reedy had four aces to lead Wilkes. Defensively it was Yordy with 13 digs and Cassel with 10 as she recorded a double-double to go along with her assists. Hines led the block with five.

Olivia Blondin led Catholic with 19 kills. Sydney Sheppard had 33 assists. Grace Guerin led the Cardinals with three blocks and Gaby Hernandez-Ferraiuoli led with 15 digs.

The Colonels led in aces 12-8 and blocks 10-6. Catholic led kills 52-35, hitting percentage .203-0.90, and digs 58-51.

Wilkes continues Landmark Conference play on Friday, October 27 when the Colonels host Susquehanna University at the Marts Center with first serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m.