ATLANTA, Ga. - The 14th-ranked Washington and Lee University volleyball team closed out the regular season with two wins at the Emory National Invitational on Saturday, defeating Oglethorpe, 3-1, in the morning and Maryville, 3-1, in the afternoon. These victories bring the Generals' season record to 29-2, marking their highest regular-season win total since the 2005 season when they entered the postseason at 29-4.
In the first match, Washington and Lee overpowered Oglethorpe 25-14, 24-26, 25-23, and 25-12. Riley Debiec led the attack with 19 kills on 43 attempts, while Allie Buchholz distributed 47 assists to keep the offense in rhythm. Vivi Vasquez anchored the defense with 18 digs, and Avery Myers added 16 kills.
Following the Oglethorpe win, the Generals faced Maryville and came away with another 3-1 victory, winning 25-15, 25-8, 23-25, and 28-26. Riley Debiec led W&L with 23 kills, while Buchholz added another 38 assists to drive the offense. Vasquez continued her strong defensive play with 23 digs, and Emery Goerig each recorded seven block assists to support the back line.
With a 12-0 record in conference play, Washington and Lee enters the ODAC tournament as the top seed. The Generals will play their quarterfinal match at home on Tuesday, November 12, against an opponent to be announced after the weekend's contests.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs Oglethorpe (W&L, 3-1 | 25-14, 24-26, 25-23, 25-12)
- Washington and Lee opened strong against Oglethorpe, with early kills from Emery Goerig and Riley Debiec setting the pace at 3-0. Allie Buchholz facilitated key kills by Debiec, Avery Myers, and Alyssah McGuire to extend the lead, while blocks from Diane Pierre-Louis and Debiec kept Oglethorpe at bay. With a service ace from Buchholz and powerful kills from Myers and Debiec, the Generals widened the lead to 9-3. WLU capitalized on Oglethorpe's errors and kills from Goerig and Debiec, sealing the set at 25-14.
- In a tightly contested second set, Washington and Lee traded points with Oglethorpe. Early kills from McGuire, Myers, and Goerig, along with aces from Maddie Weller and Penelope Quiles, kept WLU competitive. Oglethorpe rallied with plays from Gracie Sims and Camdyn George, tying the score several times. Myers and Debiec pushed WLU to 24-24, but Oglethorpe edged out a 26-24 win.
- WLU surged to a 4-0 lead in the third set with kills from Myers and Goerig, though Oglethorpe quickly responded, tying at 6-6 and trading points throughout. Debiec and Emily Schellenberg kept the Generals in contention, while strong finishes from Myers and Caroline Natwick led to a 25-23 win, capped by a decisive Debiec kill.
- In the final set, WLU opened with a commanding 9-1 run, extending to 12-3 behind six Debiec kills. Both teams exchanged points until an Oglethorpe service error brought it to 20-9, and WLU closed out the match with another Debiec kill assisted by Turi Trainor.
W&L TOP PERFORMERS
- Washington and Lee outperformed Oglethorpe in a four-set match, hitting an efficient .282 with 58 kills and 18 errors on 142 attempts. WLU's best offensive set came in the first, where they posted a .469 hitting percentage with 16 kills and only one error on 32 attempts. Despite a slight dip in efficiency in the second and third sets, WLU closed strong in the fourth with a .321 hitting percentage, securing the match. In contrast, Oglethorpe struggled to find consistency, finishing with a .158 hitting percentage and 25 errors on 152 attempts.
- In a strong performance, Riley Debiec led the team in kills with 19, closely followed by Avery Myers with 16 and Emery Goerig with 8. The service line saw contributions from Maddie Weller, Allie Buchholz, and Emily Schellenberg, each recording two aces. Goerig also dominated defensively with six blocks, while Debiec added three and Buchholz contributed two. Setting up the offense, Buchholz tallied an impressive 47 assists, with Vivi Vasquez and Weller adding two and one, respectively. Defensively, Vasquez led with 18 digs, while Buchholz and Penelope Quiles each contributed 12.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs Maryville (W&L, 3-1 | 25-15, 25-8, 23-25, 28-26)
- W&L opened with strong offense, led by kills from Katie Stone and Avery Myers and blocks by Myers and Emery Goerig to establish an early lead. Allie Buchholz directed the offense, setting up key plays, while service aces from Vivi Vasquez and Maddie Weller disrupted Maryville's rhythm. Solid blocks by Goerig and Buchholz helped secure a 25-15 win, setting a confident tone.
- The Generals jumped to an 18-7 lead, with Emily Schellenberg's ace extending it to 20-8. Maryville struggled with errors, and Riley Debiec closed out the set with back-to-back kills. A final Maryville error gave WLU a 25-8 victory.
- In a close third set, WLU initially led with blocks from Goerig and Debiec, but Maryville took control mid-set, capitalizing on WLU's errors to lead 20-14. Despite a late rally with kills from Stone and Myers, Maryville claimed the set 25-23.
- In the final set, WLU started strong, with kills from Goerig and Debiec and an ace from Buchholz. Maryville tied the score multiple times, but Buchholz set up crucial kills for Myers and Stone to maintain a slight lead. In extra points, Debiec's kill and a service ace sealed the 28-26 set and match win.
W&L TOP PERFORMERS
- For Washington and Lee, Riley Debiec led offensively with 23 kills, followed by Avery Myers and Katie Stone with 12 each. Maddie Weller topped the service line with 3 aces, while Allie Buchholz and Myers each added 2. Defensively, Emery Goerig stood out with 7 blocks, while Buchholz contributed 3. In assists, Buchholz led with 38, supported by Vivi Vasquez with 4. Vasquez also led in digs with 23, followed by Buchholz with 13 and Myers with 10.
- Washington and Lee delivered a more efficient offensive performance against Maryville (TN), achieving a .250 hitting percentage with 51 kills and 15 errors on 144 total attempts. Their strongest set came in the second, where they hit .444 with 14 kills and only 2 errors on 27 attempts. Maryville, in comparison, hit .135 for the match with 46 kills and 25 errors on 156 attempts. Maryville's best set was the fourth, hitting .275 with 15 kills and 4 errors, but they struggled in the first two sets with lower hitting percentages, ultimately falling short against WLU's more consistent attack.
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.
