Shorewomen 5-0 for First Time in Five Years

GETTYSBURG, PA -- The Washington College volleyball team posted two more wins in the second day of the Gettysburg Battlefield Classic, hosted by Gettysburg College. The Shorewomen topped Penn State-Mont Alto in three sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-18, and downed Old Westbury in four sets, 25-20, 18-25, 25-16, 25-17. Washington was a perfect 4-0 this weekend and is 5-0 for the first time since 2004.

In the opening set, Washington led 15-11 before racking off seven straight points to grab a 22-11 lead en route to a 25-15 triumph in the opening set. During the 7-0 run, the Shorewomen benefited from five Penn State-Mont Alto (2-1) attack errors. After the Nittany Lions won four the next five points to cut the lead to 23-15, a kill by senior middle hitter Kelli Canada (Midlothian, VA/James River) stemmed the tide and made it 24-15. The set was capped by a Penn State-Mont Alto attack error.

Washington jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the second set and were never threatened in the set. The Shorewomen extended their lead to as much as 11 at 15-4 courtesy of a Nittany Lions' attack error. Freshman libero Kaitlin Rowan (Damascus, MD/Damascus) served two consecutive aces to close out the set.

In the third set, the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 12-6 lead before Washington scored 16 of the next 17 points to take a 22-13 lead. The Shorewomen scored seven straight points to take a 13-12 lead. During the 7-0 run, junior defensive specialist Traci Daelemans (Tracys Landing, MD/Southern) had three straight service aces. After Penn State-Mont Alto tied the set at 13-13, a 9-0 burst by the Shorewomen gave Washington a commanding 22-13 lead. Canada tallied three service aces in a row to cap off the nine consecutive points. A kill by sophomore outside hitter Emily Hudson (Sparks, MD/Hereford) ended the contest.

In the win, Washington got match highs of 17 assists and five service aces from senior setter Caitlin Ward (Wantagh, NY/Holy Trinity). Ward also chipped in with six digs. Rowan had a team-high eight digs and four aces, while Canada and Daelemans each totaled three aces.

Penn State-Mont Alto's Sara Replogle led all players with 10 digs, while Jenn Stremmel had eight assists to lead the Nittany Lions.

Against Old Westbury (1-3), the Shorewomen trailed 16-15 in the first set before scoring five consecutive points to take a 20-16 lead in the opening set. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Feeny (Upper Darby, PA/Villa Maria Academy) tallied three kills during the run. The Panthers cut the lead to 23-20, but the Shorewomen grabbed the final two points to win the first set.

The Panthers stormed back to take the second set, 25-18. Old Westbury jumped out to a 14-6 lead before Washington netted eight of the next 10 points to trim the lead to 16-14 on a service ace from sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Forget (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley). However, that was as close as Washington would come in the second set as the Panthers capped the closing 9-4 run on a kill by Ashley Greene.

The Shorewomen bounced back in the third set to take a two sets to one lead. Up 9-7, Washington netted six unanswered points to assert control of the set. Ward served three consecutive aces in the decisive run to put WC up 15-7. The Panthers roared back with eight of the next 12 points to cut the Shorewomen lead to 19-15, but could draw no closer. Canada served an ace to conclude the third set.

Old Westbury won the first five points of the fourth and final set, but Washington stormed back with a 17-7 rally to grab a 17-12 lead following Feeny service ace. The Panthers cut to to 20-17, but Forget closed out the match by servicing aces on three of the last four points to give the Shorewomen their second win of the day.

For Washington, Feeny led the team with 10 kills and added five digs and three service aces. Ward handed out a team-best 28 assists along with six digs and three aces, while Rowan scooped up a team-best 10 digs. Freshman middle hitter Jenny Lee (Wilmington, DE/Mount Pleasant), Forget and Canada also netted three aces versus the Panthers.

For Old Westbury, Tonya Miller hammered down a team-best 11 kills, while Kristina Giordano dished out a match-high 31 assists. Shakira Canty led all players with 13 digs and Greene served up three aces to lead the Panthers.

Ward earned a spot on the 2009 Battlefield Classic All-Tournament Team. For the weekend she had 120 assists, 26 digs and 10 service aces, highlighted by a 46 assist and 10 dig performance in a four-set victory over Penn State-Harrisburg.

Washington returns to action on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. with its Centennial Conference opener at Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, PA.