WAYNESBURG, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson volleyball registered a road sweep Thursday night in a non-conference victory at Waynesburg University. The Presidents won by set scores of 25-22, 25-15 and 25-17 to down the Yellow Jackets.
The win is the fifth in the past six matches for the Presidents. W&J has compiled an 8-4 overall record this fall. The loss drops Waynesburg to 2-12 overall.
In the opening set, W&J used a pair of early kills by junior middle hitter
Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) to take an early 5-1 lead which stretched to 7-2 on a kill by junior setter
Adrianna Sacramento (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills). A kill by sophomore right side
Jaden Blough (Meyersdale, Pa./Meyersdale) coupled with a service ace by Carmichael made the score 11-7 in favor of W&J but Waynesburg responded to eventually even the score at 12-12.
The Presidents pulled in front for good on three consecutive kills by freshman outside hitter
Faith Fetsko (South Park, Pa./South Park). Later in the set, Waynesburg pulled within a point by back-to-back service aces by helped Sacramento give W&J a four-point cushion. Fetsko finished off things with a kill that gave W&J the 25-22 victory.
W&J tallied five of the first seven points in the second set that once again allowed the visitors to play with a lead. Fetsko recorded three kills during the early set run. Later in the set, the Presidents recorded five straight points to bolster its lead to 17-9. Carmichael tallied back-to-back kills and sophomore
Kaitlyn DeLauter (Marysville, Ohio / North Union) got into the act with a kill of her own during that stretch. The lead swelled to as many as 10 points before W&J finished off a 25-15 set victory.
Waynesburg recorded four of the first five points in the third set but W&J answered with seven of the next eight points to take an 8-5 advantage. A kill by freshman outside hitter
Cassie Smith (Grove City, Pa. / Grove City Area) and Blough concluded the run by the Presidents. The Jackets eventually evened the score at 9-9 but the Presidents would methodically take control. A kill by senior outside hitter
Claire Sauerland (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) swelled the lead to 21-14. Waynesburg strung together three straight points but committed a service error and two hitting errors down the stretch of the set, as W&J claimed the set by a 25-17 margin.
Fetsko put together another strong effort, as the newcomer racked up 12 kills, compiled a .346 hitting percentage and added 11 digs in just two sets of action. Carmichael added eight kills and six digs. Sacramento collected another double-double night from her setter position, as the sophomore racked up 31 assists and added 12 digs.
Freshman libero
Piper McFarland (West Mifflin, Pa./Cornerstone Preparatory Academy) recorded a match-high 23 digs and added a pair of service aces. Senior defensive specialist
Ashley Bertling (Berkley, Mich. / Berkley) chipped in 16 digs in the winning effort.
W&J held advantages in kills (38-25), aces (8-6) and digs (93-77). The Presidents travel to Chatham University for a 7 p.m. match on Saturday, Oct. 1.
