WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University women's volleyball team (13-15, 5-9) wrapped up its 2024 season on Saturday afternoon against Shippensburg (17-12, 11-3) on what was also Senior Day in Hollinger Field House. West Chester battled throughout the afternoon and claimed the second set but fell to the Raiders by a 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-12, 25-22) final.
Before Saturday's match, West Chester honored its senior class of
Lexi Niedrowski (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson), Sydney Heffner (Bath, Pa./Northampton), and manager Tristan Soto.
Zoe Haines (York, Pa./York Suburban) led West Chester in kills with 14, while
Julia Kwitchoff (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Wheatfield) and
Anna Richardson (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) finished with 10 kills each.
Lacie Brown (Cochravnille, Pa./Avon Grove) registered yet another double-double as she finished with 36 assists and 13 digs, while also logging a pair of kills. Heffner registered 12 digs and an ace to go along with six assists to move out of a tie for 11
th in career digs in her final match as a Golden Ram.
Shippensburg took an early 10-6 lead and stretched its advantage to 17-10 early in the first set, which prompted the first WCU timeout. The Golden Rams were forced to burn a second timeout moments later, as Shippensburg captured two of three points out of the timeout to hold a commanding 19-11 lead late in the opening set. Shippensburg closed out the first set quickly, rolling to a 25-14 victory to open the match with a 1-0 lead.
West Chester jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Shippensburg countered with a 13-6 run to erase the Golden Rams early lead and claim a 13-10 advantage, which led to the first West Chester timeout of the second set. West Chester countered with a 3-0 run of its own and traded points with Shippensburg as the set was tied at 17-17 before another 3-0 run by the Raiders gave the visitors a 20-17 late and forced another Golden Ram timeout. The timeout did its job again as West Chester counted with a 4-0 run, including a pair of kills from Richardson to force a Shippensburg timeout. West Chester continued its run out of the timeout, extending its lead to 23-20 after an ace by Heffner, which forced the second Shippensburg timeout of the set. Richardson closed the set with a kill to give West Chester a 25-22 second-set victory and tie the match at 1-1.
Shippensburg wasted little time getting out to a 12-5 lead to start the third set, which forced an early West Chester timeout. The Golden Rams attempted to mount a late comeback but found themselves trailing 20-11 late in the set. After the final WCU timeout of the set, Shippensburg closed out the frame with a 25-12 victory to carry a 2-1 lead into the fourth set.
West Chester got an 8-5 lead early in the fourth set before Shippensburg countered with a 9-2 run to take a 14-10 lead midway through the frame. Haines helped bring West Chester back in the fourth set, cutting the lead as the Golden Rams made the score 16-15 late before two-quick points by Shippensburg gave the Raiders an 18-15 lead. West Chester continued to battle back, cutting the deficit 24-22, which forced Shippensburg to take its second timeout of the fourth set before a Golden Ram error to escape Hollinger with a 25-22 fourth-set victory and a 3-1 win in the match.
Shippensburg was led by 16 kills by Emily Gardner, while Kearstin Davis registered 35 assists to help run the offense in the four-set victory.
Today's setback concludes West Chester's 2024 season, as the Golden Rams will miss the PSAC Tournament.
