WILKES BARRE - The Wilkes women's volleyball team lost both matches in a tri-match with Elizabethtown (9-25, 19-25, 23-25) and Rutgers-Camden (26-28, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 10-15) on Saturday as the team celebrated Senior Day at the Marts Center.
 
After today's results, the Colonels fell to 9-18 on the year with a 1-8 record in Landmark Conference play, while Elizabethtown improved to 15-9 and 5-3 in Landmark play. Rutgers-Camden ended the day with a 13-12 record.
 
The first match of the day saw the Colonels take on Landmark opponent Elizabethtown. The Blue Jays got off to a hot start, taking a 7-2 lead. Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley) led the Colonels with three kills in the set, but the visitors would not relinquish the lead for the entire set, finishing the Colonels off with an eight point run to take the first set 25-9.
 
Wilkes took the early lead in a much closer second set, as Sierra Hines' (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) ace put the Colonels up 7-6. Two kills by Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) extended the Colonel lead to 9-7. Elizabethtown fought back and tied the set at 11, and outscored the Colonels 9-4 to take a 20-15 lead. Late kills from Reedy, Fitzpatrick and Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) weren't enough to take the set however, as the Blue Jays won the second set 25-19.
 
Elizabethtown carried the momentum from those sets into the third, amassing a 12-5 lead. The Colonels fought hard to close that gap, bringing the game to 17-15. They kept pace with the Blue Jays to 24-20, and two kills by Reedy and one by Fitzpatrick brought the Colonels within one, but a set error ended the third set in favor of Elizabethtown 25-23, as they took the win in the first match of the day.
 
Reedy led the Colonels with 11 kills, while Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) led with 29 assists. Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) led the defensive effort with 10 digs.
 
Savannah Lesley led Elizabethtown with 11 kills, as Emma Bitner led with 31 assists. Kambrie Hepler was top of the scoresheet in digs with 17.
 
The Blue Jays continued their dominant day with another win in straight sets over Rutgers-Camden in the second match of the day.
 
The final match pit the Colonels against the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors, and it was a close contest deep into the first set, with Rutgers holding the slight edge 12-11. The Scarlet Raptors pulled away to a 15-11 lead, before the Colonels snatched it with a 10-2 run to make the score 21-17 Colonels. Rutgers evened the score with a four point run at 21-21, but the Colonels quickly stretched their lead to 24-21. Another comeback by Rutgers sent the set to extra points, and was won by Rutgers 28-26.
 
The second set  was once again a tight contest, with both teams even at eight. Three Colonel service aces highlighted a 7-2 run that gave them the 15-10 lead. Rutgers came back and kept the set very tight into the latter stages, only behind 22-21. A kill by Allie Murie (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) and an Emily Gentzel (Yaphank, NY/Bellport) ace gave the Colonels some breathing room, and a Fitzpatrick kill gave the Colonels the second set 25-22.
 
Wilkes led the opening stages of the third set 4-1. Rutgers kept them honest and closed the gap to 5-4. A 6-2 run gave the Colonels their cushion back, only for the Scarlet Raptors to rip it away again with a four point run to make the score 12-11. This back and forth run of momentum lasted to the end of the set, the score remaining close at 23-21 in favor of the Colonels. A service error from Rutgers set up Reedy for the final kill and gave Wilkes their second straight set 25-22.
 
The Colonels continued the momentum into the fourth set, taking the lead 8-4 behind three Fitzpatrick kills. A five point run gave Rutgers a 9-8 lead, before the Colonels quickly snatched it back on a 4-2 run to make it a 12-11 game. Both teams remained in a stalemate, tied at 18, before a four point run gave Rutgers a 23-18 lead. A stellar comeback by Wilkes brought them to 24-23, but Rutgers managed to snuff it out just in time to force a fifth set, 25-23.
 
Like the four sets previous, the two teams remained evenly matched through the early stages of the fifth set, deadlocked at six points. A four point run gave the Scarlet Raptors a 10-6 lead, and more importantly momentum, as they finished off the final set 15-10, sweeping the season series against Wilkes with the victory.
 
Reedy led the Colonels with a season-best 18 kills, as Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) served up a season-high 48 assists. The trend of season-highs for the Colonels continued with first year Emma Sanford (Las Vegas, NV/Arbor View) registering 19 digs.
 
Dyamond Free led Rutgers-Camden with 14 kills, and Avery Ang led with 29 assists. Mia Owens led the team with 21 digs.
 
Before the first match of the day, the Colonels celebrated the careers of seniors Lylah Oswald (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing), Yordy, Gentzel, Fitzpatrick, and Ousey as a part of the Senior Day festivities.
 
The Colonels will be back in action on Wednesday, November 1st as they travel to take on Lancaster Bible College at 7:00 p.m.