Washington Wins Season Opener for Third Straight Season

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Host Washington College hit .289 as a team as the Shorewomen topped visiting Delmarva rival Wesley, 3-0, (25-23, 25-21, 25-18) in non-conference volleyball action on Tuesday night at the Cain Athletic Center. The Shorewomen, who won their third straight season opener, are now 1-0, while the Wolverines drop to 0-1. Washington's Lacey Lister won her debut as head coach of the Shorewomen.

In the first set, Wesley led 21-18 before Washington won the next six points to grab a 24-21 lead. After a Wolverine service error trimmed their lead to 21-19, freshman defensive specialist Rita Rivera (Playmouth Meeting, PA/Playmouth-Whitemarsh) served five straight points, including two aces, to put the Shorewomen up three. The run was capped by a kill by freshman libero Kaitlin Rowan (Damascus, MD/Damascus). After Wesley won the next two points to cut the lead to 24-23, an attack error by Wesley ended the set and gave Washington a 25-23 triumph.

The Shorewomen jumped out to a 17-10 lead in the second set before Wesley won eight of the next 12 points to reduce the hosts lead to 21-18. Washington however won the next two points to lead 23-18 and the Wolverines would come no closer than three points the rest of the set. Rivera tallied the set clinching kill to give Washington a 2-0 lead.

With the scored tied at 17-17 in the third and final set, the Shorewomen won seven straight points to assert control of the last set to grab a 24-17 cushion. The home team won the last six points off of the serve of freshman middle hitter Jenny Lee (Wilmington, DE/Mount Pleasant). After the visitors won a point to cut the deficit to 24-18, a service error by the Wolverines ended the match to give Washington the victory.

Washington sophomore outside hitters Lauren Feeny (Upper Darby, PA/Villa Maria Academy) and Alyssa Forget (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) each had a team-best nine kills on the night. The squad as a whole had 31 kills and just seven errors in 83 attack attempts for a.289 percentage. Senior setter Caitlin Ward (Wantagh, NY/Holy Trinity) handed out a match-high 24 assists, while Rowan led all participants with 12 digs. Rivera served a match-leading six aces and Washington had 17 service aces as a team.

For Wesley, Carle Ax was tops in kills with 10 and recorded seven assists. Sophie Reed dished out a team-best 20 assists, while Ashlynn Maloy racked up eight digs to lead the guests. Wesley hit .176 in the match with 30 kills and just 15 errors in 85 attempts.

Washington College travels to the Gettysburg Battlefield Classic this Friday. The Shorewomen take on Keystone at 3 p.m. and Penn State-Harrisburg at 7 p.m.