PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team dropped its regular season finale by a 3-2 score Wednesday evening at Chatham University. 
 
W&J won the first two sets by commanding margins of 25-7 and 25-12. However, Chatham flipped the script by winning the next three sets by scores of 25-21, 25-19 and 15-9. 
 
W&J rolled to a 25-7 victory in the opening set. The Presidents took a quick 5-0 lead in the first set on a kill by Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) that forced an early Chatham timeout.
 
Back-to-back kills from Lauren Gill (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) and Sophia Sacriponte (Butler, Pa./Butler) helped the Presidents build a 14-3 advantage. That forced Chatham to use its second timeout of the first set. 
 
A service ace by Sacriponte gave W&J a commanding 19-4 edge before finishing off the 18-point set victory. The Presidents recorded 11 kills and did not commit a hitting error as they hit .440 in the first set. 
 
W&J gained early leads in the second set of 8-4 and 14-8 to force a Chatham timeout. A kill by Katie Conner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) pushed the lead to nine at 21-12. A kill by Carmichael sealed the set win with a score of 25-16. 
 
The third set was back and forth, as the hosts jumped out to a 5-1 lead over the Presidents. The Presidents responded with a 6-1 run to take their first lead of the set at 7-6 on a kill by Sacriponte. Consecutive service aces by Madison Simpson (Washington, Pa./Chartiers Houston) extended the W&J lead to 9-6. The lead reached as many as five (11-5) but the Cougars would battle back with an extended 13-7 run to even the score at 18-18. Chatham would rattle off seven of the next 10 points to win the third 25-21.  
 
Chatham gained an early lead in the fourth and held off W&J for a 25-19 victory that forced a winner take all fifth set. The Cougars tallied four of the first five points before a kill by Claire Sauerland (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) gave W&J a narrow 7-6 lead. Chatham responded with nine of the final 11 points to take the set and match. 
 
Gill finished with a team-high 11 kills. Alexis Tomassini (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) collected 33 assists and added 17 digs. Conner finished with a match-leading 29 digs.
 
W&J finishes the regular season with a PAC record of 5-4 and a 7-5 overall mark. They await their matchup in the PAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Saturday, April 10. The PAC office will finalize the schedule on Thursday.