NEWARK, Del. - - Kicking off the 2025 Wilmington University Homecoming Saturday triple header, the volleyball team treated the crowd to its third straight victory, defeating Caldwell, 3-1, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 25-12, 25-18, 23-25, and 25-16.
The Wildcats won their third match in a row on Saturday, this time using a season high 12 services aces to get by Caldwell. Haley Holland led the team with five aces while Morgan Daniels, Makailah Ford, and Addison Hoover all had two aces for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats turned it on leading 6-5 in the first set, using the service game of Makailah Ford and Addison Hoover to go on a 12-1 run for an 18-6 lead. Another 3-0 run put the Wildcats ahead, 23-8, before a kill from Karla-Nunez-Rivera gave the Wildcats set point, 24-9. The Cougars saved three set points before Makailah Ford put down a kill to end set one.
With the second set tied, 15-15, the Wildcats rattled off four straight points, getting back-to-back kills from Eliza Schneider and another form Christine Covello. The Cougars closed the gap to within 20-18, but then the Wildcats closed out the set with a 5-0 run, getting another set point from Makailah Ford, 25-18.
It looked as though the Wildcats would roll again in the third set, turning a 14-14 game into a 20-14 game with a 5-0 run. But the Cougars fought back, using a 5-1 run to get back into the game, 21-19. Kyleigh Hayes gave the Wildcats a kill and put the team up 23-20, but the Cougars ran out the set, scoring five straight points to stay alive, 25-23.
Another big run turned the fourth set after the Wildcats and Cougars were tied, 12-12. Haley Holland had two aces in a 4-0 run, and then the Wildcats used another 4-0 run on the Cam Justus serve to get to 21-14. Karla Nunez-Rivera capped a 3-0 run with an ace, giving the Wildcats match point, 24-15. Addison Hoover than put the game away with a game, ending the set, 25-16, and the match, 3-1.
Karla Nunez-Rivera led the Wildcats with 14 kills while Eliza Schneider added nine. Chelsea Blaine-Agett and Addison Hoover added seven kills each while Makailah Ford finished with six. Haley Holland led with 11 digs while Morgan Daniels added 10. Ford led the front row with four blocks while Christine Covello dished out 21 assists.
The Wildcats are on the road for a pair of CACC matches next week, starting with a game at Chestnut Hill on Wednesday night. The first serve is set for 7:00 p.m. in Philadelphia.