LATROBE, Pa. -- Three Presidents finished with double-digit kills and junior libero Sophia Sacriponte (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) turned in a career-high 33-dig performance as the Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team earned its first victory of the season Thursday evening by downing Saint Vincent by a 3-1 score.

This victory is the first for the Red and Black under interim head coach Alana Polk.

W&J improves to 1-3 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play and 1-10 overall while Saint Vincent drops to 2-2 in league play and 5-4 overall. The Bearcats entered the contest fresh off a conference victory Saturday vs. Bethany. 

W&J 3, Saint Vincent 1 (27-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-23)

W&J used six consecutive points to build an 11-6 lead in the opening set. Saint Vincent countered with 10 of the next 12 points to take a 16-13 edge. Later in the set, a kill by freshman Jaden Blough (Meyersdale, Pa./Meyersdale) and a service ace by Kaitlyn DeLauter (Marysville, Ohio/North Union pushed W&J in front 19-18. W&J would later build a 24-21 lead following a service ace by junior Claire Sauerland (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg). Saint Vincent answered with four consecutive points to take a 25-24 lead and earn a chance to steal the set. However, consecutive kills by senior Alexis Tomassini (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) and sophomore Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) put W&J in front 26-25. An attack error by SVC gave W&J the opening set victory. 

The Presidents battle from a deficit in the second set, as the Bearcats built a four-point lead (16-12) following a service ace. After a timeout by Polk, the Presidents surged into the lead by scoring six of the next seven points. Three kills by Blough capped the run to put W&J in front 18-17 and force and SVC timeout. Saint Vincent later regained the lead, using a kill to take a 24-23 lead and force set point. However, W&J proved resilient once again, as the Red and Black registered the final three points to take set two by a 26-24 score. The match clinching point came off a kill by Sauerland. 

Saint Vincent tallied 11 of the final 14 points to break a 14-14 tie and claim the third set. The Presidents battled back from 4-0 and 11-7 deficits in the fourth set. W&J took its first lead of the fourth set at 16-15 on an ace by DeLauter. The lead swelled to three points (19-16) when Blough delivered a kill to force a SVC timeout. The Bearcats would not go quietly, as they regained a 22-21 edge after back-to-back attack errors by W&J. The Presidents regrouped following a timeout and tallied four of the final five points to claim their first victory. Ashley Kovel (Everett, Pa./Everett) started the run with a kill and Carmichael clinched the match with a successful attack of her own. 

Sauerland led the way offensively by posting a team-high 12 kills. Carmichael and Blough completed the trio of Presidents with double-digit kills with 11 each. W&J posted a season-high 53 kills as a team for the second consecutive match. Tomassini finished with a match-high 38 assists.

Sacriponte finished with 31 digs, a career-high, to pace the defensive unit. DeLauter added 23 digs to go along with seven kills and three service aces. Freshman Mattie Cherry (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) aided the defense with a season-best 17 digs. 

W&J returns home for the first time in more than three weeks when they host a PAC tri-match on Saturday, Sept. 25. W&J will take on Franciscan starting at 11 a.m. before hosting Waynesburg at 3 p.m.