WEST CHESTER, Pa. - West Chester University volleyball head coach
Kassie Bellaver won her 300th game with the Golden Rams as they beat Slippery Rock in five sets to begin the Dig Pink weekend to raise awareness for breast cancer.
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The Golden Rams (14-8, 2-7 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) came from behind to beat The Rock (7-13, 2-6 PSAC) by set scores of 25-17, 21-25, 19-25, 25-17, 17-15).
How it happened:
- West Chester consistently outscored Slippery Rock throughout the first set, rattling off three straight points four times and five once. Sophomore Julia Vreeswyk (Yardley, Pa. / Pennsbury) had the last kill of the set for West Chester off of an assist from freshman Jillian Borgerding (Highlands Rach, Colo. / Highlands Ranch).
- A kill from Borgerding made the score 10-8 in the second set, but The Rock scored eight of the next nine points to pull away with the set win.
- West Chester never allowed Slippery Rock to run away with the third set, but the Golden Rams also never held the lead as a Rachel Robb (Blackwood, N.J. / Paul VI) kill to make it 5-4 was the closest they'd get.
- The Golden Rams cruised in the fourth set, scoring six straight points to make it 11-4 and six straight to end it. Freshman Hailey Lewis (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West) had the kill that started both six-point rallies.
- The lead changed four times early in the fifth set, and the score was tied seven times. However, West Chester gutted it out and forced Slippery Rock to make two errors that sealed the deal.
Inside the numbers:
- Bellaver is in her 14th season leading the Golden Rams. She has a 300-173 record.
- Vreeswyk, Robb and sophomore Grace Whintney (Glenside, Pa. / Abington) all recorded double-digit kill totals with 15, 10 and 12.
- Graduate student Shaye Whiteman (Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg) had 19 digs, three service aces and four assists.
- Borgerding had 28 assists, 18 digs and seven kills. Freshman Chiara Mowrey (Nazareth, Pa. / Notre Dame) added 12 digs as well.
- Sophomore Olivia Rudjord (Fogelsville, Pa. / Allentown Central Catholic) contributed with five block assists, and the Golden Rams had eight blocks in the match.
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Up next:
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West Chester completes a three-match home stretch with Clarion University Saturday at 2 p.m. as its Dig Pink event continues.