WASHINGTON, Pa. – Freshman outside hitter
Kamryn Conners (St. Clairsville, Ohio/Wheeling Central Catholic) produced a career-high 12 kills and sophomore libero
Piper McFarland (West Mifflin, Pa./Cornerstone Preparatory Academy) registered a 30-dig performance to help guide the fourth-seeded Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over fifth-seeded Westminster College in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Tuesday evening at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
The win is the first for the Presidents at home in the PAC Tournament since the 2016 season. The win also snapped a three-game losing skid for the Presidents, who improve to 14-13 overall. Westminster concludes its season with a 17-13 overall mark.
A young and eager Presidents' squad faced an early 9-3 hole after the Titans recorded six-straight points to break an early tie in the opening set. Westminster strengthened its lead to as many as eight points when an attack error by the Presidents made it 12-4 in favor of the visitors. Undaunted and undeterred, the Presidents settled in and began chipping into the Titans advantage. An extended 7-2 run brought W&J back within three when a block by senior middle
Lizzie Carmichael (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) and freshman outside hitter
Rian Benz (Strongsville, Ohio / Holy Name) made it 14-11. An attack error by W&J momentarily stopped the run but the Red and Black ripped off five-consecutive points to claim a 16-15 lead. Three service aces by McFarland sparked the run. Westminster was able to respond with four-straight points to regain the lead. The Titans eventually built a 24-21 advantage during a back-and-forth first set. However, W&J withstood three set points and tallied the final five points of the first set. Five-straight points, including two each from sophomore right-side hitter
Beyonce Pierce (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg) and Carmichael, helped W&J record the 26-24 set victory.
Just like they did in the opening set, Westminster pushed out to an early lead in the second. The Titans built a 10-4 advantage. The Presidents were able to cut the deficit to as few as three points on multiple occasions including making it 15-12 on a kill by Carmichael. Westminster was able to gain some distance with five-straight points and finish off a 25-17 decision in the second to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set featured eight ties and five lead changes. Trailing by an 8-6 margin, W&J tallied six-straight points to reclaim a 12-8 lead. A pair of aces by freshman defensive specialist
Bella Anzevino (Brunswick, Ohio/Buckeye) highlighted the run by the Presidents. Westminster eventually regained a slim 15-14 advantage as the teams traded points. With the third set score drawn even at 19 all, W&J tallied four-straight points to build an advantage that they would not relinquish. Conners, who registered six kills in the third set, accounted for two kills and a block during the latter stages of the third.
Westminster built an early advantage once again in the fourth set. The Titans held a 16-13 lead before the Presidents made their run. W&J registered five-consecutive points and eight of the next nine to eventually hold a 21-17 lead after a service ace by freshman middle
Sophie Little (Marysville, Ohio/Fairbanks). W&J was able to maintain control down the stretch to finish off the set and the match. Consecutive kills by Blough and Conners punctuated W&J's quarterfinal victory.
Blough (10 kills) and Little (10 kills) joined Conners in double figures. Sophomore outside hitter
Faith Fetsko (South Park, Pa./South Park) finished with 17 digs and nine kills on the evening.
Freshman setter
Brielle Moorhouse (East Liberty, Ohio/Benjamin Logan) tallied a match-high 24 assists and added 10 digs. Junior setter
Adrianna Sacramento (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) accounted for 17 assists and 10 digs.
Little finished with a match-high five total blocks. McFarland had the match high in digs (30) and service aces (3).
Westminster was paced by senior right side Natalie Franke's 10 kills. The Titans' defensive efforts were led by a 26-dig performance by three-time All-PAC senior libero Malia Duffy.
Just two seasons ago the Presidents recorded just three wins. Fast forward to 2023 and the Presidents have advanced to the PAC Tournament Semifinals under second-year head coach
Lindsey Llewellyn.
Picked to finish ninth in the PAC preseason poll, the Presidents are now among the conference's final four teams.
W&J will head to top-seeded Chatham University for the PAC Tournament Semifinals on Thursday. The match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at the Athletics & Fitness Center in Pittsburgh. The winner will advance to the PAC Championship match Saturday. Second-seeded Bethany College will host third-seeded Allegheny College in Thursday's other semifinal. The Gators downed sixth-seeded Grove City in four sets in Tuesday's other quarterfinal match.
