GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's volleyball team (5-13, 1-3) battled with the Grove City Wolverines (17-3,5-0) to a 3-1 verdict in favor of the Wolverines.
Cali Dagen (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) led the offense with 19 kills, 15 digs and a .245 hitting percentage on the night.
Rian Benz (Strongsville, Ohio/Holy Name) finished the night with eight kills, eight digs and two service aces.
Brielle Moorhouse (East Liberty, Ohio/Benjamin Logan) led the team in assists with 19 followed by Isabella Botiglieri with 18. Sophomore libero Syndey Allen led the team in digs with 28. Both
Lola Jacobs (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) and
Abby Oldham (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) finished with four blocks.
Grove City took an commanding lead in the early going, working a 14-5 advantage in the first set. Kills by Benz and Grove City errors helped chip away at the lead, down 15-10. Despite reducing the lead to four following a Benz service ace, Grove City entered another run to grow a 24-15 lead. Dagen picked up a kill before the Wolverines took the first set, 25-16.
W&J flipped the script in the second set, working to an early 11-6 lead. Kills from
Stella Stossel (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) and Benz extended the W&J edge to 15-11. A five-point swing capped by an
Eva McKnight (East Liverpool, Ohio/Beaver Local) kill and a
Jordan Sirianni (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) ace helped the Presidents hold a 20-13 advantage. W&J held on to win the second set and even the team score, 25-17.
Grove City opened the third set with a 9-1 lead after both sides secured points. The Wolverines took their momentum to a 23-16 advantage before the Presidents began mounting a comeback. Kills by Dagen and Benz brought the set score to match point, 24-19. The Presidents secured the next five consecutive points to knot the set at 24. Grove City responded with the final two points of the set, 26-24.
Both sides traded slim leads and multiple ties through the fourth set with no unit gaining more than a three-point advantage. Consecutive kills from Dagen tied the set at 21-21. Grove City managed to outscore W&J in the final points 5-2 en route to the final set win, 25-23.
The Presidents return to action in the Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Wednesday (Oct. 14) for a 6:00 p.m. match against the Chatham Cougars. The Presidents' Athletic Conference contest will double as the team's Morgan's Message Match.
