HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Delaware Valley women's volleyball team struggled to put together scoring runs dropping the contest, 3-0, to Centenary on the road Thursday night.
Delaware Valley was the first on the board with kills from
Emma Helverson and
Monique Smith helping the Aggies to a 4-2 lead over Centenary. The Cyclones tied it up before adding another three unanswered points to take 4-7 lead. Four kills from the Aggies brought them back within two points, 9-11. A 4-0 run from the Cyclones put the Aggies behind by six points, 18-12. Back-to-back kills from
Monique Smith and
Zariah Prescott started the Aggies on a run that was cut short with Centenary putting up four-straight points to take the set, 25-17.
Gretta Schneider started things off strong with a service ace to help the Aggies to a 2-0 lead. Centenary tied up the score twice more before creating a four-point deficit for DelVal with a 5-1 run, 8-4. The Aggies struggled to get a run going only putting up three consecutive points to help close the gap to three, 14-11. Some Cyclone errors paired with a Schneider kill helped DelVal to bring it to a two-point game, 18-20. Centenary held the 5-1 advantage over DelVal to secure the second set, 25-19.
Centenary took an early lead in the first set with an
Olivia Deffendall kill making it a single-point deficit for the Aggies, 4-3. The Cyclones pulled ahead by four, with Deffendall answering the call alongside Schneider for a 3-0 one to keep the deficit to one, 8-7. The Cyclones wouldn't pull ahead by more than two until a 5-1 spurt created a five-point advantage, 11-16. Deffendall put up two more points for the Aggies to bring the gap down to three, 17-13. Centenary held the 8-4 advantage over DelVal through the remainder of the set to secure the set, 25-17, and take the victory.
Deffendall and Schneider led the attack for the Aggies with seven and six kills, respectively. The duo also netted the only service aces for the team combining for three.
Samantha Wilton led the defensive efforts with a team-high eight digs.
Delaware Valley returns to action Saturday afternoon at home in James Work Gymnasium against Mount Saint Mary College at 1 p.m.
