LANCASTER, PA – Trailing by two sets, the Wilkes University women's volleyball team forced a deciding fifth set only to fall short of the comeback attempt as the Colonels dropped a 3-2 non-conference match at host Lancaster Bible College Wednesday night at the Horst Athletic Center.
 
Wilkes slipped to 9-19 overall following the road defeat while LBC improved to 17-10 on the season.
 
LBC took the first two sets by scores of 25-23 and 25-15 before Wilkes stormed back with a 25-23 win in the third and 27-25 victory in the fourth set to force the deciding fifth set. LBC managed to stave off the Wilkes comeback taking the fifth set 15-8 to clinch the home non-league win.
 
Down 2-0 heading into the third set, Wilkes trailed by six points in the frame before kills by Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson), Jenna Baron (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) and Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley) brought the Colonels back to 19-19. Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) tied the set again at 23-23 with a kill before an LBC attack error and Baron service ace clinched the set and kept the Colonels alive.
 
The fourth set went back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than three points throughout. Reedy made it 25-24 before a kill from LBC knotted the set at 25. Another kill from Reedy and an attack error by LBC continued the Wilkes comeback giving the Colonels a chance at the deciding fifth set.
 
The fifth set was tied at six before LBC went on a 4-1 run to open an 11-7 lead and never looked back clinching the match with a seven-point win.
 
Reedy led the Wilkes attack with a double-double of 14 kills and 12 digs while adding two service aces. Fitzpatrick followed with nine kills while Ousey finished with eight kills and Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) seven kills. Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin)l led the passing game with match-high 40 assists.
 
Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) posted 20 digs surpassing the 1,000 dig mark for her career in the process. Yordy now stands with 1,002 career digs.
 
Chloe King led LBC with a match-high double-double of 15 kills and 19 digs.
 
Wilkes will close out its 2023 season Saturday on the road as the Colonels travel to Mahwah, New Jersey for a tri-match hosted by Ramapo College. Wilkes faces St. Joseph's Long Island at 1:00 p.m. before a match against the host Ramapo at 3:00 p.m.