PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Another five-set match went the Wilmington University volleyball team's way on Wednesday night, winning a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division matchup at Chestnut Hill, 3-2, inside Sorgenti Arena.
Set scores for the match were 25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 21-25, and 15-9.
Of the four CACC victories this season, three have gone the distance with the Wildcats (7-7, 4-0 CACC) coming out on top each time. The Wildcats matched a season high with 16 aces and set a new season high with six solo blocks, totaling 11 blocks altogether.
Trailing 12-6 in the first set, the Wildcats rattled off five straight in a 7-1 run to tie the game, 13-13. The Griffins took a 17-16 lead but then the Wildcats used a 4-0 run to take the lead for good. The teams traded points until 22-20, and then a kill from Eliza Schneider started a 3-0 run to end the set. Christine Covello put down a kill to win the set, 25-20.
The Wildcats were leading the second set, 12-10, but the Griffins went on a 6-0 run for the lead. The Wildcats answered with a 4-0 run to tie the game, 16-16, but the Griffins responded again with a 5-1 spurt to take a 21-17 lead. Kills from Karla Nunez-Rivera and Addison Hoover tied the set, 22-22, but the Griffins finished off the set with the final three points, 25-22, to tie the match, 1-1.
A 5-0 run gave the Wildcats a 13-9 lead in the third set before the Griffins closed the gap to 16-15. A 4-0 run, capped by a block from Makailah Ford, gave the Wildcats a 20-15 lead. Chestnut Hill got to within 23-18 but Addison Hoover put down a kill and then Makailah finished off the set with an ace, 25-18.
Addison Hoover put down another ace to give the Wildcats a 20-19 lead in the fourth set, but the Griffins responded with back-to-back points for a 21-10 lead. Eliza Schneider put down a kill to tie the set, 21-21, but then the Griffins closed out the set by scoring the final four points, 25-21, sending the game into a fifth set.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, the Wildcats scored four straight to start an 8-2 run to take a 9-4 lead. A kill from Chelsea Blaine-Agett and an ace from Addison Hoover ended another 4-0 run and gave the Wildcats match point, 14-5. The Griffins fought off four match points before Chelsea Blaine-Agett put down a final kill to win the match, 15-9.
Karla Nunez-Rivera led the Wildcats with 15 kills with only one error, adding 11 digs for the double-double. Chelsea Blaine-Agett and Addison Hoover finished with nine kills each as Hoover added a team high 21 digs, six blocks, and five aces. Makailah Ford had six blocks and five aces while Morgan Daniels added 17 digs.
The Wildcats remain in CACC play with their next match, heading to Dominican on Saturday afternoon. The first serve is set for 12:00 p.m. in Orangeburg, New York.