After starting the season with eight straight wins, West Chester University women’s volleyball sustained six straight losses before grabbing their ninth and tenth victories of the season.
With four losses against PSAC West Division opponents in Erie, Pa. two weeks ago, the Lady Rams returned home for their first match of October to face Georgian Court University where they received their first home loss in a decisive fifth set (25-11, 23-25, 25-15, 20-25, 11-15). Marina Sharkey had an overall quality match on offense and defense producing 12 kills, 11 defensive digs, as well as an additional assist. Julie O’Brien led the team’s offense with 13 kills and four blocks, but it was not enough to get the victory.
In their first match against a PSAC East Division, the Golden Rams traveled to Shippensburg University where they were swept in three sets (18-25, 16-25, 21-25) for their sixth straight loss in a row. O’Brien recorded double digit kills yet again with 11, but received little offensive support from the rest of her teammates. Allison Grammer and Paige Thommes had four kills apiece. Samantha Agostini and Tori Hutchinson led the defense with 11 defensive digs each.
WCU ended their six- game losing streak and got their first PSAC win of the season with a five- set victory on the road against Millersville University. Agostini recorded 38 assists for the Lady Rams. It was the first time anyone has recorded more than 30 assists in a match since their last victory against Philadelphia University when outstanding freshman Annalee Halbert recorded 42. Halbert has been out of the line up with injury since the first match on their Erie road trip. The match against Millersville also saw a break out performance from Tyler Sheafer who recorded 11 kills, three aces, and eight defensive digs.
The Rams got their second win in a row with a dominant three-set (25-11, 25-11, 25-9) victory over Cheney University, only trailing one time in the match during the second set. Even though WCU was in control of the match throughout, there was not one outstanding performance by an individual player. O’Brien and Sharkey lead the team in kills with 10 and eight kills respectively.
After stringing together two straight victories, the Lady Rams followed that up with two consecutive losses against University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown and Lock Haven University this past weekend. University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown swept West Chester in three sets (19-25, 19-25, 21-25), but the match was not as decisive as the final score might have dictated. Agostini recorded another 20-plus assist match in the absence of Halbert with 23. Dana Markol recorded 16 defensive digs to lead the team’s defense. The Golden Rams fell to 10-8 on the season with a three sets to one defeat against Lock Haven University the following day.
The West Chester University women’s volleyball team now sits in sixth place in the PSAC East Division and will have a chance to improve upon their 2-7 conference with four matches next weekend against PSAC West Division opponents.
Stephen Gallo is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies. He can be reached at SG 749536@wcupa.edu
Wed. Apr 24th, 2024
