Wilkes Women's Volleyball Splits Tri-Match with Penn State Harrisburg and Rutgers-Camden
CAMDEN, N.J. - The Wilkes Women's Volleyball team went 1-1 in their tri-match with Penn State Harrisburg and Rutgers-Camden on Saturday, defeating the Lions 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-11) but losing in straight sets to the Scarlet Raptors 3-0 (16-25, 8-25, 17-25).
After the tri-match, Wilkes came away with a record of 4-5, while Penn State Harrisburg ended with a 5-5 record and Rutgers-Camden finished at a record of 4-5.
Rutgers-Camden and Penn State Harrisburg opened the day, with the Scarlet Raptors taking the win 3-2.
After that, the Colonels took the court for their first match of the day against Penn State Harrisburg. The first set was very closely contested, as both teams stayed close with the score 19-19. No team gained a lead of more than three points to that point in the set. However, a six point run for the Lions gave them a huge advantage to go up 24-19. A kill from Hope Ousey (Exton, PA/Henderson) made it 24-20, but the Lions took the first set 25-20. Alexis Reedy (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra Area) led the Colonels with four kills and a service ace in the set.
Penn State Harrisburg took the early lead in the second set, going up 7-4 early. A four point run gave Wilkes a narrow 8-7 lead, and the teams would trade that lead back and forth once again reaching a stalemate at 10-10. The Lions wouldn't see the lead in the set again from here, as the Colonels outscored them 15-10 to take the set 25-20 behind three three-point runs that helped solidify their lead and the set victory. Sierra Hines (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) led the Colonels with six kills in this set.
A four point run gave the Colonels an early 6-4 lead in set three, which once again turned into a back and forth duel with the Lions. Wilkes held the lead in the middle of the set 12-10, before a five point run gave the Lions a 15-12 lead. The Colonels answered back with an offensive explosion, outscoring the Lions 13-5 across the rest of the match, including a six point run that put them comfortably in the lead to take the third set. Ousey led the Colonels with five kills and a service ace in this set.
Wilkes dominated the final set en route to the match victory, scoring in bunches of three and four point runs throughout the set, highlighted by an eight point run in the middle of the set to take the game from 9-6 to 17-6 in favor of the Colonels. Ousey had three service aces in the final set to put the match away, while Nicole Fitzpatrick (New Hampton, NY/Minisink Valley) led the Colonels with three kills and a service ace of her own in the set as the Colonels won 3-1.
Ousey had 13 total kills in the game and four service aces, leading the team in both categories while adding two blocks to her outstanding performance. Alexa Cassel (Mount Joy, PA/Lower Dauphin) led the team in assists with 35, while Ali Yordy (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area) led the team defensively with 23 digs.
Camryn Wettstone led the Lions in kills with 13, while Hannah DeGregory led in assists with 26 and Kate Bukowski led in digs with 14.
After that match the Colonels took on Rutgers-Camden in the final match of the day. The first set was close early, as both teams remained deadlocked at 7-7. Rutgers-Camden pulled away with a six point run to make the set 12-7 and did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the set, outscoring the Colonels 13-9 to take the first set 25-16 behind another six point run late in the set.
The Scarlet Raptors kept up the pressure in a dominant second set, going on multiple three and four point runs before finishing the Colonels off with another six point run to take the second set 25-8.
The momentum carried to the third set, as Rutgers-Camden led by as much as a score of 18-5. On the ropes, Wilkes fought back with a 7-2 run to make the game 20-12. A four point run for the Scarlet-Raptors threatened to end the Colonels day with the score 24-12, but once again they fought back with a five point run to cut the lead to 24-17. Unfortunately for the Colonels, a final Rutgers-Camden kill by Dyamond Free gave the Scarlet Raptors the final point of the set and the 3-0 victory.
Reedy and Ousey led the Colonels with seven kills each this match, while Cassel topped the assist charts with 10 and Yordy led defensively with 12 digs.
Free led the Scarlet-Raptors in kills with eight, JoAnna Andrews led in assists with 17, and Bella Craig led in digs with nine.
The Colonels will hit the court again on Wednesday, September 20th as they travel to take on Penn State Berks at 6:00 p.m.
