RADNOR, Pa. - The Ursinus college volleyball team dropped its two opening matches on Friday during its tri-match at Cabrini. The Bears went down, 3-1, to the host Cavaliers before falling short by the same score to Mt. Aloysius.
The Bears came back from an 11-5 deficit against the Cavaliers in the first set of action. A 4-1 run sparked by a kill from Rachel Girard cut the Cabrini lead to three. Still trailing, 23-20, late in the set, the Bears then rallied off eight of the next nine points.
Back-to-back attack errors by the Cavaliers tied the score at 24 before a pair of kills from Girard clinched the set for the Bears, 26-24, giving Ursinus the early lead.
The Bears once again found themselves down early the second, 12-6. A 4-1 run with two more kills from Girard brought Ursinus back within two at 14-12. Like the first set, the Bears trailed 23-20 late in the second, but this time Cabrini was able to win the final two points to take the set 25-20 and tie the match at a set apiece.
Cabrini took another early lead in the third set as a 7-2 run put the Cavaliers up 19-11. The Bears pulled it back within four with a 5-1 run of their own to make it 19-14. However, Cabrini closed out the set 25-17 as Ursinus went down two sets to one.
Looking to extend the match to a fifth, the Bears took advantage of three Cavalier errors to open the fourth set to go up, 4-1. A kill from Isabelle Deal then put Ursinus up 7-3 in the early goings. However, a 9-1 run from Cabrini put the Cavaliers up 15-10. The Cavaliers went on to take the final four points of the set as the Bears fell 25-16 to go down 3-1 in their opening match of the day.
In the second match, the Bears took on Mt. Aloysius. Like the first match against Cabrini, the Bears split the opening two sets, however, this time they took the second set after dropping the opener, 25-13.
Tied 10-10 in the second set, the Bears pulled away from the Mounties. Sparked by back-to-back kills from Grace Sullivan, Ursinus went on an 11-2 run to go up 21-12 as they took the second set 25-17.
While both teams took their respective sets in decisive fashion, the third was much closer. The Bears went down 7-3 to open the set, but an ace by Olivia DeBonte tied the set, 7-7. Leading 9-8, the Bears took three of the next five points behind two kills from Kelly Piotrowicz to go up 11-9. With the score still close late, the Mounties pulled away to take the third, 25-22.
The Bears went down early in the fourth and were unable to recover. Mt. Aloysius took the fourth, 25-15 as Ursinus fell, 3-1.
Piotrowicz was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 3.4 digs per set, 2.1 assists per set, and 1.75 kills per set.
News and Notes
- Piotrowicz (11 assists, 15 digs) and Girard (11 kills, 16 digs) each recorded a double-double against Cabrini.
- Sullivan notched a team-high 19 digs against Cabrini.
- Miranda Foster led the Bears with eight kills against Mt. Aloysius.
What's Next
The Bears play Rutgers-Camden on Tuesday in the Helfferich Gym at 7 p.m.