WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The West Chester University volleyball team took a step outside of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play on Tuesday, as the Golden Rams welcomed Shepherd University to the Hollinger Field House for a non-conference matchup. Despite fighting all the way back from an 0-2 hole to force a fifth set, WCU fell 3-2 (22-25, 13-25, 25-14, 25-23, 11-15) to the visiting Rams on Tuesday evening in West Chester's second-to-last match against a non-PSAC representative this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- It looked like the visiting Rams (16-5) were poised for a shutout, as the Shepherd claimed the first two sets of the match to go up 2-0 overall.
- Facing elimination, West Chester (17-4) took the third set handily (25-14), but the home team was forced to earn the victory in the fourth stanza. With the score squared at 23-23, a kill by senior Jillian Grammer (CENTER VALLEY, PA./SOUTHERN LEHIGH) paired with an error by SU's Peyton Lindbald would give WCU the set 25-23 and force a fifth-and-deciding frame.
- The fifth set was a battle, with both teams fighting to a 10-10 tie after the line switch. With the score squared at 10 all, Shepherd went on to close out the frame by scoring five of the final six points to hold on for the 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Grammer logged 43 assists for the second-straight match on Tuesday and added 12 digs to give the setter her 13th double-double of the season and 11th in her last 12 contests.
- Coming off a career-high 25 kills in a win over Shippesnburg on Saturday, freshman Julia Vreeswyk (YARDLEY, PA/PENNSBURY) paced the Golden Rams once again with 18 kills against Shepherd on Tuesday night. Senior Allie Duffy's (CARLISLE, PA./CARLISLE) 12 kills against the Rams on Tuesday were the most for the middle blocker in the last 10 matches, while her .524 hitting percentage versus SU marked the ninth time this season that the Carlisle native logged a +.500 clip in a contest. Hitting at a .401 mark overall, Duffy currently leads the PSAC and ranks No. 14 overall in NCAA Division II in hitting percentage.
- Defensively, freshman Grace Whitney (GLENSIDE, PA/ABINGTON) paced WCU with four total blocks on the night, while adding eight kills and four digs in the loss.
- Graduate student Nicki Yates (COOPERSBURG, PA./SOUTHERN LEHIGH) led three Golden Rams with double-digit digs, as the DS scooped up a team-high 13 digs against the Rams on Tuesday evening.
- Tuesday's outing was a preview of a future conference rivalry, as Shepherd is slated to join the PSAC as a full member institution next year.
UP NEXT
- The Golden Rams will hit the road for their next four matches, starting with a meeting at Kutztown on Friday (7:00 p.m.) inside the Keystone Arena.
