By James Wagner
Director of Athletic Communications
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Ursinus College volleyball team completed their two-day odyssey at the 12th Annual Greyhound Premiere by battling back to capture the Silver Bracket on Saturday.
On Friday night, the Bears dropped two matches. In the opener, the Bears lost a 3-2 battle to Ramapo, while falling to Marymount (Va.) in the nightcap – ending at 11:30 p.m. – by a 3-1 score.
Early Saturday morning, the Bears (2-2) swept two matches. First, Ursinus bested The College of New Rochelle 3-1, before beating Centenary (NJ), 3-0 on Saturday to win the Silver Bracket.
Senior setter Gina Powers (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) was named to the All-Tournament team.
In the first match on Friday against Ramapo, the Bears and Roadrunners played to a 2-2 tie going into the fifth and deciding set, before Ramapo won it 18-16.
Against Marymount, Ursinus lost the first set 25-20, before winning the second set 25-21. The Saints then won the next two sets 25-23 and 25-19.
Freshman outside hitter Taylor McCartney (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) led the way in the second match with ten kills on 37 total attacks, while freshman outside hitter Allison Raff (Landenberg, Pa./Avon Grove), freshman outside hitter Jackie Jordan (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton) and junior outside hitter Karla Thiele (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins Senior) each had six each. Powers had 33 sets, with senior libero Leah Masiello (New Castle, Del./St. Elizabeth's) having 16 digs. Thiele had 15 on the night.
Against New Rochelle, Thiele had ten kills on 40 total attacks, with Jordan going for eight and Raff having five. Powers again led the way with 23 assists, with Thiele getting five assists. Masiello had 24 digs defensively, with Thiele getting three solo blocks.
In the final match against Centenary, Thiele got 11 kills with McCartney adding in six and freshman outside hitter Jasmine Bogere (Panama City, Fla./North Bay Haven Charter Academy) getting five. Sophomore setter Emily van Mulbreght (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) had 23 assists with Powers helping out with 12.