Roberts Wesleyan Clips Firebirds in Three Sets
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dist. Columbia (7-9, 2-4 ECC) | 22 | 18 | 14 | 0 |
|
Roberts Wesleyan (8-8, 4-2 ECC) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
ROCHESTER, NY – The University of the District of Columbia volleyball team was swept, 3-0 in its first ever meeting with East Coast Conference newcomer Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at Voller Athletic Center. The Firebirds were defeated in scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-14.
With the loss, District of Columbia fell to 7-9 overall and 2-4 in league play. RWC won its third straight match to improve to 8-8 overall and 4-2 in the ECC.
Senior Vanessa Garley (Marketing – Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho HS) notched her first double-double of the season with a team-high 10 kills to go with 10 digs. Junior Julia Lynch (Studio Art – Spring Creek, NV/Spring Creek HS) led the Firebirds defensively with a match-high 13 digs.
The Redhawks were led offensively by Alexa Antoni and Gisela Ocasio, with 17 and 12 kills, respectively. Antoni also had a team-high 12 digs.
The first set featured a see-saw battle early on with several ties and lead changes. With the score knotted at 14, the Redhawks ran off three straight points to go up 17-14, but following a timeout, District of Columbia countered with a 6-0 run that included a service ace by Ariana Scott and one kill apiece by three different Firebirds. After a Garley kill put the visitors ahead, 22-19, RWU called a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Redhawks finished off the set with a 6-0 run, culminating in two consecutive Firebird attack errors for a 25-22 win.
The Redhawks carried the momentum of their first set win into the second set as they pulled away from a 4-4 tie with a 5-0 run helped along by four Firebird attack errors. Trailing 12-8, District of Columbia pulled within two after two unforced RWU errors, but the hosts regrouped to go on a 7-1 run to put the set out of reach at 19-11. The Redhawks won comfortably, 25-18 to take a 2-0 match lead.
In set three, Roberts Wesleyan got off to a fast start and never took its foot of the gas pedal. The Redhawks scored the first four points of the set and then jumped out to leads of 8-2, 10-4 and 17-6. The Firebirds never got any closer than within eight points as RWU coasted to a 25-14 win and claimed a 3-0 match victory.
District of Columbia will look to bounce back on Thursday, October 11th as it hosts ECC foe LIU Post at 6 p.m.