WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson volleyball team fell to Thiel College in four sets Tuesday evening in a Presidents' Athletic Conference match at Salvitti Family Gynasium.
Thiel 3, W&J 1 ( 25-19, 23-25, 25-13, 25-20)
Thiel opened the match strong as they raced out to a 7-3 lead early in the first set. Back-to-back kills from
Jaden Blough (Meyersdale,Pa./Meyersdale) and
Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) got the Presidents back on their feet to even the score at 15-15. It was not enough as Thiel registered 10 out of the final 15 points to end the first set, 25-19. Carmichael recorded the team-high four kills in the first set.
Set two was an intense battle that featured five lead changes and 11 ties between the teams. W&J was able to keep pace and regain the lead after a
Ashley Bertling (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) kill started a four-point run for the Presidents. W&J tallied the final three points, which included a service ace by
Sophia Sacriponte (Butler, Pa./Butler) that propelled the Red and Black to a narrow 25-23 set win.
Thiel rebounded quickly and dominated the third set as they held the lead from start to finish. Carmichael registered the team high in kills again with three in the set. The Tomcats held the lead for the entirety of the fourth set and led by as many as nine points (17-8). Back-to-back kills by Blough started a five-point run for W&J that narrowed the deficit to two (21-19). Blough used another successful attack to bring the score to 22-20. However, the Tomcats tallied the final three points to take the set and match.
Carmichael contributed another fine performance, as the sophomore recorded 11 kills while hitting .a team-best .474. Carmichael added four total blocks. Blough recorded double-digit kills for an eighth time this season, as the freshman finished with 10 kills.
Ashley Kovel (Everett,Pa./Everett) was strong at the net, finishing with a match-high six blocks. Sacriponte tallied a match-best 23 digs.
Alexis Tomassini (Gettysburg,Pa./Gettysburg) finished with 27 assists and 12 digs.
W&J will hit the road for their final road match of the 2021 season on Thursday, October 28. The Presidents will travel to Grove City College for a 7 p.m. match.
