WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University women's volleyball team (2-0) started the season with a pair of victories over Caldwell (0-1) and Lincoln (0-1) on Friday afternoon at the PSAC East Kickoff Tournament in Hollinger Field House. West Chester started the day with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-13) victory over Caldwell before cruising to a 3-0 (25-8, 25-8, 25-11) victory over Lincoln in the nightcap to start the season 2-0.
Game One: WCU 3 Caldwell 0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-13)
Tight in the early going of all three sets, West Chester used a mid-set run in the first, second, and third sets to get separation against Caldwell and used this separation to cruise to a 3-0 victory over the Cougars to open the season.
West Chester jumped out to a 17-12 lead in the first set and rode this advantage to a 25-18 first-set victory, closing out the set on a
CeCe Isenberg (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) kill.
In the second set, Caldwell maintained a 15-14 lead midway through the set before West Chester countered with a 7-0 run, including a pair of kills by Isenberg to take a 21-15 lead. Caldwell halted the run with a kill, but West Chester closed the set on a 4-1 run to capture it by a 25-17 final and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
The Golden Rams raced out to a 4-0 lead in the third set before Caldwell responded with an 8-4 run to even the score at 8-8. West Chester did not allow things to remain close for long, closing out the match on a 17-5 run to cruise to a 25-13 victory over the Cougars.
Isenberg was one of two Golden Rams in double figures for kills as
Gwen Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) added 10 of her own, while
Anna Richardson (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) chipped in eight along with a team-best three aces.
Julia Kwitchoff (Niagara Falls, N.Y/Niagara-Wheatfield) had a match-high four blocks, while
Bria Stepp (Cranberry Twp, Pa./Seneca Valley) had a match-best 35 assists to open the season. Stepp also came away with eight digs, which was second-best on the team, trailing only
Hailey Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) with 12 digs.
West Chester hit .288 (47-17-104) in the victory, including a .375 (19-7-32) effort in the first set.
Game Two: WCU 3 Lincoln 0 (25-8, 25-8, 25-11)
With the first set tied at 4-4 early, West Chester went on a 7-0 run to take an 11-4 lead and prompt a quick Lincoln timeout. The Golden Ram momentum continued as West Chester cruised to a 25-8 first-set victory, led by four early kills from Isenberg.
The second set told a similar story as West Chester dominated throughout, cruising to another 25-8 victory, led by three aces by
Shaena Brooks (Willoughby Hills, Ohio/Eastlake North) and three more kills by
Brooke Forester (Langhorne, Pa./Conwell-Egan) as the Golden Rams jumped out to a 2-0 lead.
West Chester kept its foot firmly on the gas in the third set, jumping out to a 16-7 lead over the visiting Lions as the Golden Rams forced a Lincoln timeout. Out of the timeout it was more of the same as West Chester closed the match on a 9-4 run to take a 25-11 third set victory and finish off its second sweep of the afternoon.
West Chester hit .338 in the victory, including a .375 (11-2-24) effort in the first set and .387 (14-2-31) in the second set before hitting .240 (11-5-25) in the third set to finish off the 3-0 victory.
Isenberg finished the match with nine kills, along with six from Kwitchoff, while Stepp finished the match with eight aces and 11 assists, both of which were match highs. Brooks and Richardson added six and five aces, respectively.
Atkins led West Chester in digs once again with 11.
Up Next
West Chester will finish off its weekend against West Virginia State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
