WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team their Presidents' Athletic Conference Quarterfinals matchup against No. 4 seed Westminster in a five-set thriller, 3-2.
In a rematch of last season's quarterfinals matchup, the Titans managed to even the score with a first-round victory this season. W&J closes their season with a 16-13 overall record and 6-4 mark in conference play. This marks the second-consecutive season the Presidents have mustered a playoff berth in the past two seasons.
W&J ripped off a first set victory in the opening set of play, 25-21. W&J logged their best hitting percentage as a team in the first set with a .275 mark. After jumping out to an early 13-8 lead, the Presidents cruised to a 23-18 lead courtesy of kills by
Sophie Little (Marysville, Ohio/Fairbanks) and
Abby Oldham (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell). Following a back-and-forth exchange in points, Oldham closed the opening set with a kill.
The Titans bounced back quickly with a 25-17 set two victory over the Presidents to even the set score at one.
W&J mirrored Westminster's output with a 25-17 set three victory of their own. After falling behind 4-1, kills by
Alexandra Ash (Richmond, Ohio/Edison), Little and a service ace by Oldham placed the Presidents back in the driver's seat with a 5-4 lead. Following multiple lead changes, the Presidents grew a 15-11 lead off errors made by the Titans' hitters and setter. W&J road the lead to their second set victory of the night.
The fourth set again replicated the set score of 25-17 in favor of the Titans. Westminster logged two large point swings, propelling past W&J for their second set win of the night.
The Presidents went down early to start the fifth set, 5-0. Kills by
Rian Benz (Strongsville, Ohio/Holy Name) and
Jaden Blough (Meyersdale, Pa./Meyersdale) allowed to Presidents to fit one point away from erasing the Titan lead, 8-7. Thanks to consecutive attack errors by Westminster, W&J managed to even the score for the first time, 9-9. Westminster quickly responded with a devastating four-point swing to put them one point away from sealing the victory. A late comeback attempt from the Presidents including a solo block by Blough and assisted block by Little and
Faith Fetsko (Venetia, Pa./South Park) allowed W&J to chip away at the lead but to no avail. The Titans secured their quarterfinals victory with a kill to end the set, 15-12.
Little led the match in kills with 18, accompanied by Benz with 15 and Blough with 11.
Brielle Moorhouse (East Liberty, Ohio/Benjamin Logan) led the setting room with 29 assists coupled with
Adrianna Sacramento (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) who dropped 23 on the night.
Piper McFarland (West Mifflin, Pa./Cornerstone Preparatory Academy) led the Presidents' back row with 34 digs. Benz also tacked on 17 to muster a double-double in the outing. Little led the Presidents in the blocks with five total along with Oldham who added four.
W&J graduates three seniors including
Kaitlyn DeLauter (Marysville, Ohio/North Union), Blough and Sacramento. Blough closes her career as a President with 796 kills, 265 digs, 153 total blocks and 881 points. Sacramento finishes as W&J's fourth all-time leader in career assists with 1,951.
