LEXINGTON, Va. - The 12th-ranked Washington and Lee University women's volleyball team rallied back from a 2-1 deficit, claiming the final two sets of the match to win their second straight and 20th overall Old Dominon Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (W&L, 3-2 | 24-26, 25-13, 20-25, 25-21, 15-12)
- Both teams traded points in a tightly contested opening set until the Generals (32-2) went on a 3-0 run to take an 8-6 lead, capitalizing on back-to-back attacking errors by the Marlins (26-5) and a kill by Emery Goerig. A 5-1 run propelled the Blue and White to a 15-10 lead, highlighted by kills from Riley Debiec, Avery Myers, and Allie Buchholz, along with a service ace from Penelope Quiles. The Generals extended their lead to six with kills from Grace Mitchener and Buchholz, but the Marlins rallied late with a 9-2 run to steal the first set, 26-24.
- After the Marlins tied the set at 3-3 with back-to-back kills, W&L's offense surged with a 7-0 run, taking a 10-3 lead behind two kills from Mitchener and one from Debiec. Although Emma Claytor ended the run with a kill for VWU, the Generals quickly regained momentum, going on a 6-1 run to extend their lead to 16-5. Mitchener shone during this stretch with four kills, while Myers and Maddie Weller added one apiece. The Generals continued their dominance with two more kills from Debiec and a service ace from Quiles, finishing the set decisively at 25-13 after Debiec sealed it with back-to-back kills.
- The Blue and White carried their momentum into the third set, taking an 8-4 lead with kills from Katie Stone and Mitchener and a service ace from Vivi Vasquez. However, the Marlins responded with a 10-2 run to seize a 21-16 advantage. The Generals attempted a comeback with a 3-1 run to close the gap, but consecutive kills from Claytor, followed by a service ace from Kendall Abercrombie, secured the set for the Marlins, 25-20.
- In the fourth set, both teams exchanged points early until back-to-back attacking errors from VWU gave the Generals a 7-5 lead. Claytor's consecutive kills tied the score at 10-10, but W&L's offense erupted for an 8-1 run to take an 18-11 lead, fueled by kills from Mitchener and K. Stone and service aces from Mitchener and Buchholz. The Marlins fought back to within three points, but the Generals held firm. Leading 23-20, W&L capitalized on a VWU attacking error and a Myers kill to claim the set, 25-21, forcing a decisive fifth set.
- The Generals started strong in the fifth set, taking an early 3-1 lead thanks to two Marlins errors and a Myers kill. However, the Marlins countered with a 6-1 run to grab a 7-4 advantage. The teams traded points before W&L regained momentum at 11-10 with a string of kills from Goerig, Mitchener, and Debiec. VWU briefly reclaimed the lead with back-to-back kills from Alexis Shaw and Claytor, but the Generals surged to victory, scoring the final four points with a kill by Debiec and critical blocks from Myers, Debiec, and Buchholz. The dramatic 15-13 win secured the Generals' second consecutive ODAC Championship and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Hannah Smith of VWU led the match with an impressive 27 kills on 60 attempts, hitting .317, while teammate Emma Claytor contributed 22 kills, the second-highest total for the Marlins. On the Generals' side, Mitchener and Debiec each posted double-digit kills in the victory, with Mitchener pacing the offense with 19.
- Buchholz orchestrated the attack, dishing out a match-high 49 assists, while Niya Nash and Salena Jones recorded 30 assists each for the Marlins.
- Defensively, Vivi Vasquez delivered a stellar performance, digging out a match-high 33 attacks while becoming the 18th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs. Buchholz and Mitchener each contributed 24 digs for the Blue and White, while Avery Myers and Penelope Quiles also posted double-digit digs.
- Quiles and VWU's Madeleine Hanes led the match with two service aces apiece. At the net, Claytor and Alexis Shaw led all players with six blocks each, showcasing their defensive prowess.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals improved to 32-2 on the season, capturing their second consecutive and 20th overall ODAC Championship. Their 32 wins also tie for the second most in program history, a feat previously achieved in the 2002 and 2005 seasons.
- With the victory, the Blue and White secured a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and the 17th time in program history.
- Despite the hard-fought five-set win, the Generals did not lead any team statistical category during the match. They recorded five service aces, nine blocks, and 59 assists while achieving the second-highest single-match dig total in program history with 120.
- Offensively, the Generals tallied 62 kills on 219 attempts for a .196 hitting percentage, highlighted by a team-high .283 percentage in the second set.
2024 ODAC Championship All-Tournament Team
2024 All-ODAC Teams
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announced the 2024 All-ODAC Teams following the conclusion of the tournament and the Blue and White garnered three of the four major awards while having five student-athletes named to the All-ODAC teams. Check back in tomorrow afternoon for a full release with our award winners.
Major Awards
1st Team
2nd Team
UP NEXT
- The 12th-ranked Generals are headed to the NCAA Tournament, they will find out their opponent on Monday, November 18 at 1 p.m. as the NCAA will host their selection show on ncaa.com.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
