Volleyball Splits Home Tri-Match

Volleyball Splits Home Tri-Match

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Hosting its first and only tri-match of the season, the Ursinus College volleyball team settled for a split against non-conference visitors Immaculata and Moravian.

An efficient hitting effort from junior Miranda Foster paved the way for a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-14) rout of the Mighty Macs, but the Bears (8-16) were swept in three close sets in the nightcap (25-21, 25-22, 25-21).

Foster was sensational in the late-morning opener, ripping 10 kills in 20 error-free swings for a .500 hitting percentage.

The sides were knotted at 7 in the first set before freshman Olivia DeBonte triggered a run of six consecutive points. The Mighty Macs (3-12) closed to 20-18 before DeBonte was able to serve some separation once more, using an ace to set up kills by sophomores Paige DeAlba and Emily Harris for a 24-18 lead. Harris' next kill closed the door on the first set.

It was sophomore Grace Sullivan who went on a key service run in the second set, winning five straight points with the score tied at 11. Foster, junior Kelly Piotrowicz, and sophomore Hannah Merges all had kills in that spurt. DeAlba's ace polished off the second frame, and the Bears were in control the whole way in the third.

Sophomore Amanda Ladzinski recorded her first career kill late in the third set, also adding a dig.

Piotrowicz complemented five kills with 14 assists and seven digs, with DeAlba chipping in 13 assists, five kills, and four digs. Harris had six kills and DeBonte picked up ten digs.

The second match was close throughout, but the Greyhounds (13-13) had just enough to earn a sweep of the day's action.

Ursinus held a 15-11 lead in the first half and was still ahead at 17-16, but Moravian reeled off a 6-0 run to take control.

The Bears rallied from a 14-7 second-set deficit all the way back to 20-20, gradually chipping away and eventually getting even on a kill by Foster. Moravian, however, won the next four points and held on from there.

The third set followed a similar pattern, the Greyhounds pushing out to a 13-7 advantage before the home side made a late run, twice getting as close as two points.

Sullivan led the way with 16 digs in the nightcap. Piotrowicz had 12 assists and seven digs, while DeAlba paired 11 digs with eight assists. Foster again topped the team in kills with six.

The volleyball team returns to the court on Thursday, October 18 at Albright.