BRYN MAWR, Pa. – The Delaware Valley University women's volleyball team battled Bryn Mawr through a pair of tightly contested opening sets before ultimately falling to the Owls, 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-19), on Wednesday night.
Bryn Mawr struck first, but DelVal quickly responded behind kills from
Madison Alexander and
Zoe Bera and a pair of Bera service aces. Kills from
Layla-Deanna Rabanal and
Charlotte Kampf helped the Aggies build a three-point advantage before the Owls battled back to even the set at 10. DelVal regained control behind
Monique Smith and Bera, pushing the lead to a set-high five points, 18-13. Bryn Mawr chipped away at the deficit and eventually pulled even at 23 before a kill from
Ariana Hernandez gave the Aggies set point twice down the stretch. The Owls held off the Aggies' late push, however, to take the tightly contested frame, 27-25.
The teams traded points throughout the opening stages of the second set, with neither side able to create much separation. The Aggies used kills from Smith,
Camilla Garcia and Rabanal to stay within striking distance before back-to-back kills from
Sophia Freemont and Garcia evened the frame at 14. Bryn Mawr responded with a 7-2 run to pull ahead, 21-16, but the Aggies continued to battle as kills from Bera helped cut the deficit to three, 23-20. The Owls answered with the final two points to secure the set, 25-20.
DelVal and Bryn Mawr traded points early in the third set before the Owls created separation with a 9-5 advantage. Alexander and
Hayley Drinkard helped spark the Aggies' response with a kill and service ace, while a block from Alexander and
Charlotte Kampf brought the Aggies back within two, 12-10. Bryn Mawr answered with a 7-1 run to stretch the margin to 19-11, but the Aggies continued to battle behind kills from Bera, Alexander and Hernandez. DelVal pulled within four late, 23-19, before the Owls secured the final two points to take the set, 25-19.
DelVal is back in action on Tuesday, Sep. 15 for its first MAC Freedom contest of the season traveling to Stevens to take on the Ducks in a 7 p.m. showdown.
