WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team picked up a pair of five-set victories during a doubleheader with Waynesburg University on Tuesday evening at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
The victories improve W&J to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in PAC play. Waynesburg falls to 1-8 overall and 1-5 in league matches.
W&J escaped with a five-set win in the opener to secure a victory in the Presidents' Athletic Conference match. W&J dropped the first set by a 25-17 score before responding with a 25-21 win in the second set and a 25-19 victory in the third set. The Yellow Jackets rolled 25-12 in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth set. The Presidents did what they needed to do to pick up a 16-14 decision in the fifth set and earn the conference victory.
A highlight of the opener was
Katie Conner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) surpassing the 1,000 dig mark for her career. Conner finished with a team-high 25 digs in the opener before adding 16 in the second match.
Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) was a force in match No. 1 as the freshman finished with 14 kills and .256 hitting percentage.
Claire Sauerland (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) added eight kills and 19 digs in the opener.
Lauren Gill (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) was once again a factor in the middle, as the freshman finished with nine total blocks in the first match.
Alexis Tomassini (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg Area) served up 29 assists and added 20 digs.
The Presidents and Yellow Jackets then faced off in the non-conference match to conclude the evening's doubleheader. W&J earned a 25-22 victory in the first set before dropping the second set by a 25-16 score and then falling 25-21 in the third. W&J edged Waynesburg 25-21 in the fourth set to even things up at 2-2. The Presidents found themselves down 10-4 in the fifth set. However, six consecutive points to even the score at 10-10. Consecutive blocks by
Kyleigh Jester (Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley) tied the score. After two points by the Yellow Jackets made it 12-10, the Presidents closed with five of the final six points to earn the sweep.
Jada Benning (San Antonio, Texas/Hayfield Secondary School (Va.)) racked up a team-best 13 kills and four total blocks in the second match. Tomassini added 29 assists, 14 digs and four service aces.
W&J hosts Franciscan University for a PAC match on Friday, March 26. Start time is set for 7 p.m. at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
