WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team battled but lost in four sets to Geneva Monday night in a Presidents' Athletic Conference match at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. 

Geneva 3, W&J 1 (25-22,18-25, 25-22, 25-22)

W&J led by as many as five points during the first set. A kill by Kaitlyn DeLauter (Marysville, Ohio/North Union) gave W&J a 19-15 advantage in the latter stages of the frame. However, the visiting Golden Tornaodes ripped off a six straight points to take the lead. A kill by Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) brought the Presidents within one (21-20) but the GT's tallied four of the final five points in the opening set. 

The Presidents raced out to a 10-4 lead in the second set. After three straight Geneva points, Carmichael and Ashley Bertling (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) registered back to back kills to extend the lead to 12-7. The GT's trimmed the deficit to as few as two points at 16-14. Six straight points allowed W&J to take a commanding 22-14 advantage. Geneva wasn't able to complete the comeback as Bertling registered the final kill to win the second set for W&J by a 25-18 margin.

A kill by Jaden Blough (Meyersdale,Pa./Meyersdale) put the Presidents on the board for the third set. Blough led the team as she hit .304 for the match, but was not enough as the Presidents dropped the third set by a 25-22 score. 

W&J seemed poised to force a fifth set. The Red and Black used a 7-1 run, capped by a Bertling kill, to take a 20-15 lead in the fourth set. That forced a Geneva timeout and substitution, which ended up turning the tide for the GT's. Geneva responded with five consecutive points and 10 of the next 12 points to earn another 25-22 win. 

Blough finished with 10 kills during a balanced attack for W&J. Carmichael finished with nine kills and four total blocks. Bertling tallied eight kills. Alexis Tomassini (Gettysburg, Pa./ Gettysburg) distributed a match-high 30 assists. 

Defensively, Mattie Cherry (Tyrone,Pa./Tyrone) put together a solid performance off of the bench, as the freshman tied the team high with a season-best 19 digs. Cherry also tallied two service aces. Sophia Sacriponte (Butler, Pa./Butler) matched Cherry by posting 19 digs as well. Ashley Kovel (Everett, Pa./Everett) matched Carmichael with four total blocks. 

Despite the loss, W&J put together one of its best hitting performances of the season, as the Red and Black committed just 14 attack errors. The eight total blocks were the third most in 2021.

W&J returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 21, when they host the Bethany Bison. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m.