WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes University women's volleyball team defeated the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors 3-1, and then took down the Hood College Blazers 3-0 in a tri-match sweep Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.

The sweep improves the Colonels to 13-13 overall with five games remaining in the regular season.

Game 1: Wilkes 3, Rutgers-Camden 1

 Both teams matched each other through the first half of set one with the score tied 10-10, but the Scarlet Raptors then went on a huge 10-1 run to lead 20-11 and from there took the set 25-14.

In set two, the Colonels jumped out to a 7-3 lead early, and increased it to seven (17-10) thanks to the duo of Abby Dornblaser (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) and Emilee Atherholt (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport). Rutgers-Camden cut the deficit to 19-16 soon after, but a 5-0 run from Wilkes powered by three-straight kills from Dornblaser sealed the set win for the Colonels 25-18.

Set three was close from start to finish as neither side led by more than three points the entire way. There were a total of 10 lead changes and 15 ties throughout, but Rutgers-Camden led 24-23 with a chance to take a 2-1 set lead. However, a service error by the Scarlet Raptors tied the score, and then back-to-back kills from Ava Wahlers (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) and Mia Leon (Ponce, PR/Caribbean) gave Wilkes the win 26-24 and a 2-1 lead.

The Colonels started slow in set four as they trailed 7-2 after nine points, but they managed to close the gap with a 7-3 run to make it a one-point game (10-9). Wilkes scored four of the next five points to take their first lead of the match, and they never relinquished it. The Colonels ended the match with a 25-21 set four win to snap their six-match losing streak. 

Dornblaser led the Colonels in kills with 13 with Leon right behind her with nine. Leon also finished with 11 digs, which was third on the team behind Ally Sheridan (Hanover Township, PA/Hanover Area) and Annalyse Santowasso (Middlesex, NJ/Rutgers Prep) who both had 17. Rachael Anderson (Canmore, AB/West Island College) and Maddy Durfee (Buffalo, NY/Attica) each had double-digit assists, with 24 for Anderson and 14 for Durfee.

As a team, Wilkes finished with a .207 attack percentage compared to .172 for Rutgers-Camden, and committed five less errors than the Scarlet Raptors (24-19).

Prior to the match, the Wilkes honored their lone senior Sheridan for her contributions to the women's volleyball program over her four seasons with the team.

Game 2: Wilkes 3, Hood 0

After a much-needed break, the Colonels took on the Blazers of Hood College for the final game of the tri-match. The Colonels jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start set one, but the Blazers fought back with four-straight points of their own to tie the score. Midway through the set Wilkes led 10-9, and then went on a 13-3 run to take a commanding eleven-point lead (23-12), eventually taking set one 25-16.

In set two, Wilkes jumped in front of Hood early with a 6-0 lead, and expanded that lead to 17-9 with a balanced offensive attack. The Blazers never got closer than four points the rest of the set as the Colonels won set two 25-19.

With their eyes set on a sweep, the Colonels took a 9-3 early in set three. After taking a timeout, the Blazers cut into the deficit to make it a 13-10 game. What happened next was possibly the best stretch of play from the Colonels all season. Wilkes went on a dominant 12-0 run to end set three and secure the win behind great play from Atherholt, Sheridan, Dornblaser, Leon and others.

The team finished the match with a .341 attack percentage while holding the Blazers to a .025 attack percentage. The Colonels also limited mistakes with just eight errors compared to Hood's 17 errors.

Leon had another strong match with 13 kills and five digs, and so did Sheridan who finished with seven kills and eight digs. Santowasso once again led the Colonels in digs with 12, while both Anderson and Durfee tallied double-digit assists for the second-straight match (16 each).

The Colonels look to continue this momentum going into their next match on Friday, Oct. 24 on the road against Landmark Conference rival Lycoming College. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m.