DOYLESTOWN (PA) – It was match that had major Freedom Conference playoff implications and it lived up to the hype as Misericordia University rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat host Delaware Valley College, 3-2. Set scores were 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, 25-15 and 15-8.

The Aggies and Misericordia entered Tuesday evening as two of four teams tied for second place with 3-2 league marks and just two matches remaining. The come-from-behind win keeps the Cougars in second place along with FDU-Florham. Meanwhile, Delaware Valley slipped into a three-way for fourth with DeSales University and Wilkes University, but DeSales currently has the tiebreaker with wins over both squads.

The Aggies (10-13 overall) host two-time defending conference champion and nationally-ranked Eastern University for its final Freedom match next Wednesday, October 27. They will have to pull off the major upset and watch the scoreboard for various scenarios for a chance at their first playoff berth since 1988.

The first set saw Delaware Valley pull to within one at 21-20 before the Cougars won four of the last five points to take the lead in the match. Misericordia (12-9 overall) then jumped out to a 9-2 lead and still held an 18-16 advantage late in set number two. However, the Aggies won six straight points, en route to a 25-23 victory and a 1-1 match.

Delaware Valley held a 13-11 advantage halfway through the third set when it won nine of the next 10 points to up their lead to 22-12. The Aggies then went up 23-15 and 24-19 before the Cougars made things interesting with four straight and a 24-23 contest. Delaware Valley senior Ashley Mikulsky, who got the final point of set two with a kill, did the same in the third for a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth set, Delaware Valley led 12-11, but Misericordia went on a great run and won six straight and 14 of the last 17 to force a fifth and deciding set. In the fifth, the Cougars scored three straight on two blocks and an Aggie hitting error. Delaware Valley got to within one at 6-5, but Misericordia took four of the next five for a four-point lead. The Cougars upped the lead to 13-8 and then had consecutive kills by Kristin Hoffman and Krystal Burford to seal the match.

Burford finished with 14 kills and three blocks to pace Misericordia. Alexandra Goble had 13 kills while Cailin McCullion added eight kills and 17 digs. Hoffman finished the evening with seven kills, 16 digs and 28 assists.

Freshman Janel Gluch had 15 kills and five solo blocks for Delaware Valley. Junior Kaitlyn Olsen notched 11 kills and four blocks while freshman Jen Keller added nine kills and 16 digs. Freshman Alyssa Riggins added 26 digs and senior Amy Scordato had 40 assists and 14 digs.