JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking five-set decision (3-2) to host New Jersey City Thursday night John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center.
 
Wilkes fell to 4-3 overall following the road defeat while New Jersey City improved to 5-0 on the season.
 
New Jersey City raced out to a 2-0 lead in the match taking set one 25-15 before a 25-19 decision in the second set. Wilkes responded in the third and fourth set turning the momentum and tying the match at 2-2 forcing a deciding fifth set. It marked the second straight match the Colonels went five sets.
 
In the fifth and deciding set, the teams traded points over the first four serves before New Jersey City rallied for the next five points never looking back on way to a 15-9 victory.
 
Wilkes led all the way through the third set until New Jersey City tied the score at 13. Ally Sheridan (Hanover Township, PA/Hanover Area) posted a service ace and Mia Leon (Ponce, PR/Caribbean) added a kill to push the Colonels ahead 18-15. Sheridan kept the rally going with another ace and followed with a kill to force a timeout with Wilkes leading 20-15. Ava Wahlers (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) then finished off the set with back-to-back kills to cut the match deficit to 2-1.
 
After falling behind 5-2 in the beginning of the fourth set, Wilkes began a furious rally scoring eight straight points to take a 10-5 lead thanks to kills from Sheridan, Leon and Emilee Atherholt (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport). The advantage grew to as many as eight later in the set before three kills from Wahlers and a set-clinching kill from Sheridan tied the match at two.
 
Sheridan led the Colonels offensive attack with a career-high 15 kills and four service aces. Leon followed with nine kills, 20 digs and two total blocks while Wahlers finished with six kills. Rachael Anderson (Canmore, AB/West Island College) topped the passing game with 31 assists.
 
Kai Fitzpatrick led all attackers with a match-high 26 kills and 17 digs for New Jersey City.
 
Wilkes continues its road stretch on Saturday competing in a tri-match at Elmira College. The Colonels face the host Elmira at 11:00 a.m. followed by a match against University of Pittsburgh at Bradford at 1:00 p.m.