MADISON, N.J. – The Delaware Valley women's volleyball team kicked off the day winning in three straight against SUNY Maritime before falling 3-1 against hosts Drew on Saturday.
MATCH ONE VS. SUNY MARITIME (3-0)
Set One: 25-16
Set Two: 25-20
Set Three: 25-15
Hernandez set the tone early, helping the Aggies jump out to a four-point lead. Maritime answered with a 6-2 run, but Garcia's service ace capped the DelVal response and kept the Aggies in control. DelVal continued to build its advantage, stretching the lead to eight behind kills from Smith, Rabanal, Hernandez and
Madison Alexander. Maritime managed a brief three-point spurt late, but the Aggies answered with four straight points to close out the set and take the early lead.
The teams traded points early in the second set before a Rabanal kill sparked a 4-0 DelVal run and gave the Aggies some breathing room. Maritime trimmed the deficit to two, but Rabanal continued to make her presence felt offensively, joined by
Charlotte Kampf and Alexander as DelVal pushed its lead back to five. The Aggies maintained their edge down the stretch, with Patricia Schwab-Garrido, Rabanal and Kampf each delivering consecutive kills to help DelVal finish the set strong.
Alexander, Rabanal, Hernandez and
Samantha Wilton provided early offense to keep the Aggies in front in the third, but Maritime answered with three straight points to take the lead. A pair of Maritime errors quickly put DelVal back on top, but the visitors continued to battle, tying the set twice. With the score still within reach, Smith's kill ignited a decisive 12-2 run that carried the Aggies through the finish and secured the straight-set victory.
MATCH TWO VS. DREW (1-3)
Set One: 21-25
Set Two: 25-18
Set Three: 16-25
Set Four: 17-25
Smith and
Hayley Drinkard put the Aggies on the board in the opening set before Drew built an eight-point lead. A kill from Rabanal, combined with a series of Drew errors, helped DelVal cut the deficit in half. Drew responded with a 7-4 stretch to create more separation, but a kill from Patricia Schwab-Garrido and a pair of service aces from
Rylyn Schichtel sparked an Aggies comeback, cutting the deficit to three. Drew answered with the final point, however, to take the set.
DelVal opened the second set strong, using a 7-1 run to create some early separation. After allowing two points to Drew, the Aggies answered with a 7-0 spurt to build an 11-point advantage. The Rangers continued to respond with short runs of their own, but a Schichtel service ace and a kill from
Ariana Hernandez helped push the DelVal lead to 13. Drew held a 13-7 edge down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to keep the Aggies from taking the set.
The Rangers managed to maintain a four-point edge over the Aggies through the early stages of the third set before a trio of kills from Rabanal and
Monique Smith pulled DelVal within one. Drew maintained its advantage, building the lead back to five. Schwab-Garrido, Hernandez and
Zoe Bera tried to chip away at the deficit, but Drew held its 5-2 edge down the stretch to take the set.
Drew jumped out to a swift 10-1 start in the final set, with
Charlotte Kampf putting up the lone point for the Aggies during the early stretch. Smith added a trio of kills, while Drinkard contributed a service ace and Schwab-Garrido added another kill in an effort to stop the bleeding. Drew responded by creating a 10-point margin. Rabanal and Smith then combined for a 5-0 run to cut the deficit in half, but Drew finished the set on a 6-3 run to secure the win.
DelVal returns to action this Tuesday, Sep. 29 hosting MAC Freedom foe FDU-Florham at 7 p.m.
