NEWARK, Del. - - A comeback victory keeps the Wilmington University volleyball team with a two-game lead atop the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division, defeating Chestnut Hill, 3-2, on Thursday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
Set scores for the match were 20-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-20, and 15-13.
With the win, the Wildcats maintain a two-game lead in the CACC South Division with three games to play in the regular season. The Wildcats are now 17-11 overall and 10-2 in CACC play, two games ahead of both Holy Family and Goldey-Beacom. One more win secure a CACC Tournament First Round home game for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats hit .201 in the win, using 12 total blocks and 14 service aces to get by the Griffins (5-19, 2-10 CACC). The Griffins had 17 more kills and seven more points than the Wildcats, but only hit .193 with 33 errors and 12 service errors.
Tied 18-18 in the first set, the Griffins scored six of the final eight points to take the game, including the final two points when the Wildcats closed to within 22-20.
The Griffins climbed back into set two with an 8-1 run, getting to within 20-18. But the Wildcats used the service game of Addison Hoover to finish out the set, scoring the final five points to tie the match, 25-18.
Chestnut Hill used a 4-0 run in game three to take a 17-12 lead but then the Wildcats rattled off six straight to regain an 18-17 lead. The teams traded points with the Griffins earning set point, 24-22. The Wildcats got kills from Chelsea Blaine-Agett and Eliza Schneider to tie the game, 24-24, but then the Griffins scored back-to-back points to take the game, 26-24.
The Wildcats led early in set four before the Griffins went on a 9-4 run to take a 18-16 lead. A kill from Eliza Schneider sparked a 5-0 run for the Wildcats, taking a 23-19 lead. The Griffins scored a point to make it 23-20, but a kill from Karla Nunez-Rivera and a block from Gianna King and Christine Covello sent the game into a fifth set, 25-20.
With the set tied 8-8, the Wildcats used a 4-1 run to take a 12-9 lead. But the Griffins responded with a 4-0 run, getting an ace out of a timeout to take a 13-12 lead. But a kill from Eliza Schneider, an ace from Gabby Barth, and a block from Chelsea Blaine-Agett and Christine Covello ended the match, 15-13.
Eliza Schneider led the Wildcats with 17 kills with only two errors, hitting .469 for the match. Karla Nunez-Rivera put down 11 kills with only one error, hitting .256 while adding seven digs and four blocks. Addison Hoover finished with nine kills, eight digs, and five aces. Morgan Daniels led the back row with 21 digs while Gianna King finished with eight blocks.
The Wildcats return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Bridgeport in a cross divisional contest. Saturday is also Senior Day as the Wildcats will honor the careers of Christine Covello and Gabby Barth prior to the first serve which is set for 3:00 p.m.