NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University volleyball team took the final two sets to begin the 2024 Homecoming festivities with a 3-1 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over Felician on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the Wildcats were 25-21, 14-25, 25-22, and 25-22.
The Wildcats (6-7, 2-1 CACC) were outhit by the Golden Falcons (4-10, 1-2 CACC), .169 to .145, as well as in kills, 51-47, but the defense propelled the Wildcats to victory with 10 more digs, 74-64, and a 10-7 advantage in blocks.
The Wildcats jumped out to a large lead in the first set, 20-14, but then had to hang on down the stretch. Felician scored five straight to close to within 20-19 before the Wildcats answered with three straight of their own. Felician got to within 23-21, but then the Wildcats closed out the first set with a Gabby Barth dig and kill and an Alex Serna ace.
Felician was all over set two, jumping out to an 8-2 lead and then used a 6-1 run to open a 16-8 lead. Another 3-0 spurt gave the visitors a 21-11 lead before the teams traded points down the stretch, 25-14.
Felician grabbed a 12-11 lead in the third game before the Wildcats went on a 10-2 run to take a 21-14 lead. Feilcian battled back to within 22-19 and then saved three set point to get to within 24-22 before an Alex Serna kill gave the Wildcats the lead, 2-1, 25-22.
A 5-1 spurt put the Wildcats ahead, 16-13, in the fourth set but then the Golden Falcons answered with a 5-0 run of their own to lead 18-16. The teams traded points until Felician lead 22-20. A Karalyn Osborne kill sparked a 5-0 run for the Wildcats to close out the match. Gabby Barth put down an ace and then a kill from Osborne, a block from Shannen Litten, and a Felician error gave the Wildcats the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-1.
Freshmen outside Eliza Schneider and Karla Nunez-Rivera led the team with 10 kills each. Shannen Litten finished with nine kills and seven blocks. Cam Justus dished out 16 assists while Barth finished with 24 digs.
The Wildcats remain in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with their next game, as they head to Holy Family for s South Division battle. The first serve is set for 6:00 p.m. in Philadelphia.
