WILLIAMSPORT, PA – A career night for junior Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) helped the Wilkes University women's volleyball team battle out of a 2-0 hole to push the match into a fifth set in the Colonels inaugural Landmark Conference match Friday night at Lycoming College. The host Warriors were able to rebound in the fifth set to win 3-2 (25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 14-25, 15-11) inside Lamade Gymnasium.

Wilkes dropped to 7-10 overall and to 0-1 in the Landmark Conference with the loss. Lycoming improved to 11-3 overall and 1-2 in the league. The Colonels led in all the major stat categories including kills (44-34), hitting percentage (.076-.021), aces (18-14), blocks (9-7), assists (41-30), and digs (64-56).

Hines helped carry the Colonels back into the match and finished with a career high of 15 kills and tied her career high with six blocks. Her 15 kills came on 20 total attacks with only two errors as she hit .650 in the match.

After falling behind early in the first set, Wilkes gained its first lead at 12-11 following an ace by Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley). The Warriors responded quickly and finished the set on a 14-6 run to win 25-18.

Wilkes led 8-3 early in the second set and still led by a score of 16-13 following an Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) ace. After Lycoming pushed ahead, Wilkes clawed back in front at 20-18 but the Warriors finished on a 7-2 run to win the set 25-22, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set a block by Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) and Jenna Baron (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) followed by an Ousey kill gave the Colonels an 8-4 lead. Lycoming went on a run to gain a 15-12 advantage, but Wilkes fought back with a Hines kill, a block by Hines and Ousey, and an ace by Reedy to tie the score at 15-15. Wilkes pushed ahead for good in the set with a four-point run led by three Reedy kills as the score went to 24-21 Colonels. Following a Lycoming point, Wilkes took the set 25-22 on a Lycoming error.

Wilkes gained control early in the fourth set following two Hines kills and a string of other points including a block by Hines and Fitzpatrick to lead 7-1. The Colonels lead grew to 10 at 17-7 following a Hines kill, an ace by Reedy, and an error on the Warriors. Lycoming closed to within seven at 21-14 but Wilkes scored the final four points, including two on Emily Gentzel (Yaphank, NY/Bellport) aces, to win 25-14 and push the match into the decisive fifth set.

Hines scored the Colonels first two points in the fifth set on kills and Wilkes led 6-5 following a kill by Reedy and an ace from Ousey. Lycoming scored eight of the next nine points to take control, leading 13-7. Another kill by Hines and an ace by Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) tried to pull the Colonels back into contention but the hole was too deep as Lycoming found the final two points it needed to win 15-11 and take the match 3-2 for its first-ever Landmark Conference win.

Reedy followed Hines with 11 kills and she also tied her career high with six aces. Cassel recorded her fourth double-double of the season and 21st of her career with 37 assists and 11 digs. Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) led Wilkes with 22 digs, one shy of her season high.

Lycoming's Arianna Santos led the Warriors with nine kills while Lindsay Heimlich had 16 assists. Santos led with four blocks and Kendall Myers led with 17 digs for Lycoming.

Wilkes is back in Landmark Conference action Saturday with a match at defending national champion and current No. 1 team in Division III, Juniata College. The first serve in Huntingdon, Pa. is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.