DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University volleyball team celebrated its seniors in its final home game of the season, but it was visiting New Jersey City University that came away with the 3-0 victory. Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, and 25-21.
The Aggies (4-15) have three games remaining on their schedule, all road games, including a tri-match this weekend at Widener University starting at 10 a.m. That meant that tonight was the final home game in the careers of the team's six seniors:
Kayla Bracken,
Kourtney Campbell,
Kathy Guevara,
Jess Holster,
Danielle McKelvey, and
Samantha Nields. Five of the six have been teammates at DelVal for four years with McKelvey transferring prior to the 2017 campaign.
In the first set of this match, the two teams played into a deadlock nine different times. The Aggies used a 9-3 stretch in the middle of the frame to take their largest lead at 18-14. However, the Gothic Knights (9-15) countered with a 11-4 run to close the set, 25-22.
The second set was back-and-forth, and tied at 10-10, before Krista Barko served 10 straight points for New Jersey City to open up a 20-10 advantage. DelVal scored seven of the next nine points to move within five, 22-17, thanks in part to the serving of Bracken. The Aggies then fought off three set-points before Amber O'Donnell got a kill to end the set.
In the third set,
Alexis Sideris served six straight points, including four consecutive service aces to give the Aggies a 12-6 advantage. The Gothic Knights fought back to tie the game at 16-16, but DelVal regained the lead at 20-19 after a Campbell kill. From there, New Jersey City scored six of the final seven points to earn the set and match victory.
Bracken led DelVal with six kills and added three service aces and one solo block. McKelvey and Nields each had four kills with McKelvey notching a pair of aces and 11 digs. Nields led the team with two blocks. Holster had eight digs in the match and
Guevara notched three while Campbell added a kill and a dig.
Taylor Purner dished out 16 assists for the team and Sideris had five service aces.
The Gothic Knights were led by O'Donnell's 11 kills and four service aces. Shaylah Ware had a match-high 26 assists while Stephanie Duque tallied 14 digs.
