DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The Delaware Valley University women's volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday, falling to Wilkes, 3-1, before bouncing back with a 3-1 victory over Cedar Crest. The Aggies battled through four tightly contested sets against the Colonels before responding with a strong all-around effort against the Falcons to close out the day in the win column.
MATCH ONE VS. WILKES (1-3)
Set One: 23-25
Set Two: 24-26
Set Three: 25-21
Set Four: 19-25
DelVal jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the opening set behind kills from
Madison Alexander,
Layla-Deanna Rabanal and
Adriana Heinrichs. Wilkes cut the deficit to two before back-to-back kills and an ace from
Ariana Hernandez helped the Aggies regain control, 16-11. DelVal extended the advantage to 21-15 and held a 23-18 lead, but the Colonels closed the frame on a 7-0 run to take the set, 25-23.
The teams traded points early in the second before DelVal erased a 10-8 deficit with consecutive aces from Hernandez and kills from Rabanal, Alexander and
Monique Smith to pull ahead, 15-12. The Aggies remained in front and reached set point at 24-22, but Wilkes once again rallied late, scoring four unanswered to take the frame, 26-24.
Wilkes opened the third with a 9-1 advantage before the Aggies stormed back with and 8-1 run come within a single point. DelVal eventually pulled ahead 19-15 behind kills from Smith, Hernandez and Heinrichs. The Colonels tied the frame at 21, but an ace from Rabanal and a series of errors from Wilkes highlighted a 4-0 DelVal run to secure the 25-21 win and force a fourth set.
The Aggies carried the momentum into the fourth, taking an early 9-7 lead before the teams battled to a 15-15 tie. Wilkes broke the deadlock with a 5-1 run and held off DelVal down the stretch, taking the set 25-19 and the match, 3-1.
MATCH TWO VS. CEDAR CREST (3-1)
Set One: 25-16
Set Two: 23-25
Set Three: 25-23
Set Four: 25-20
DelVal took control early in the opening set, building a 9-3 lead behind kills from
Monique Smith,
Camilla Garcia and
Charlotte Kampf. Cedar Crest cut into the deficit, but back-to-back kills from
Ariana Hernandez kept the Aggies in front before they pulled away for the 25-16 victory.
The Aggies built a 12-8 advantage in the second behind a pair of Garcia aces and kills from Hernandez, Kampf and
Layla-Deanna Rabanal. Cedar Crest battled back to even the frame at 13 and eventually took a three-point lead late. DelVal fought back to tie the set at 23, but the Falcons scored the final two points for the 25-23 win.
Cedar Crest carried the momentum into the third, jumping ahead 13-6 before DelVal answered with an 8-1 run highlighted by kills from Kampf and Smith and two
Madison Alexander aces to even the score at 14. The Falcons regained a 20-18 advantage, but the Aggies responded again, pulling ahead 22-20 before Smith sealed the 25-23 victory.
The teams battled to a 13-13 tie in the fourth before DelVal used a 4-0 run to create separation. The Aggies maintained control from there, with kills from
Zoe Bera, Hernandez and Rabanal helping close out the 25-20 set victory and secure the match.
The Aggies are back in action on Wednesday, Sep. 9 facing Bryn Mawr on the road at 7 p.m.
