BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Westminster College volleyball team defeated Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) foe Geneva College by a score of 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 23-25, 15-12) in the first match and lost 3-0 (18-25, 20-25, 22-25) in the second match in a doubleheader rematch of last year's PAC Championship game. Only the first match counted towards the PAC standings.
Coming into the contest, both Geneva (4-1, 2-1 PAC) and Westminster (3-1, 3-0 PAC) were receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) rankings.
Geneva got off to a good start in the first set and held a 19-18 lead late. The Golden Tornadoes scored the final six points of the set to claim it by a score of 25-18 and took a 1-0 lead.
Westminster was in danger of dropping the second set, trailing 23-21. However, four-straight points, including a huge block by junior
Becky Adelman (Randolph, OH / Waterloo) helped the Titans claim the second set to flip the momentum in their favor. Westminster held a 21-18 lead in set three before Geneva put Westminster on the ropes with six-straight points to take a 24-21 lead. With their backs against the wall, Westminster responded with five consecutive points of its own, including another set-changing rejection, this time by junior
Maya Steward (Los Angeles, CA / William Howard Taft) to grab the third set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Geneva won the fourth set 25-23 to even up the match. Westminster took an 8-3 lead in the abbreviated fifth and final set. Geneva recouped the momentum, earning nine of the next 14 points to cut the deficit to just 13-12. Needing only two points to win the match, a Geneva error made the score 14-12, before first-year
Lauren Lampus (Sarver, PA / Freeport Area) delivered the decisive blow, a service ace to give Westminster the fifth set by a score of 15-13.
Adelman dominated the first match with a career-high 20 kills to go along with a game-high six blocks and a .314 hitting percentage. Steward followed with 17 kills and a career-high five rejections. Lampus and sophomore
Kaylee Sciubba (Tarentum, PA / Deer Lakes) each contributed seven kills, while Sciubba earned five blocks and a game-high .333 hitting percentage (for players with more than one attack). First-year
Malia Duffy (Allison Park, PA / North Allegheny) scooped up a game-high 35 digs, while Steward and junior
Samantha Kelly (Irwin, PA / Penn-Trafford) had 26 and 20 digs, respectively. Kelly also dished out a game- and career-high 32 assists, while sophomore
Isabelle Snyder (Centerville, PA / Maplewood) tallied a career-high 23 assists.
In game two, the Titans were led by sophomore transfer
Morgan Tenney (Warren, OH / Champion) who hammered home a team-high nine kills (tied a game-high) and corralled nine digs. Sciubba followed with seven kills and Snyder, sophomore
Journey Washington (Beaver Falls, PA / Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center) and first-year
Macy Stoddard (Erie, PA / Harbor Creek) tallied four kills each. Snyder also tallied a game- and career high 20 digs and registered 18 assists.
Westminster will be back on the court on Saturday, March 13 at home when it takes on the Thiel College Tomcats. Match time is scheduled for 11 a.m.
