VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The 22nd-ranked Washington and Lee University women's volleyball team dropped a top 25 match up on Saturday as they fell in straight sets to No. 21 Virginia Wesleyan University.
HOW IT HAPPENED (VWU 3-0, 25-23, 25-18, 25-10)
- The Generals (18-5, 6-3 ODAC) opened up the match with a 3-1 run thanks to a pair of VWU (22-1, 8-0 ODAC) errors and a service ace from Addi Johnson. The Marlins responded with a 6-1 run to take their first lead of the set, 7-4. The Blue and White tied the set at eight as Riley Debiec and Emily Schellenberg each recorded kills, while Debiec and Emery Goerig teamed up for a block. Virginia Wesleyan extended their lead to four following a 4-1 run before taking a 19-12 lead with a 5-1 run. A 6-2 Generals' run saw Schellenberg record two kills, with Debiec adding one, while Mitchener and Goerig teamed up for a block. The Blue and White rattled off four straight points thanks to two kills from Mitchener and one from Ryan Taylor. VWU secured the first frame with a 3-1 run, claiming the opening set 25-23.
- Both teams traded points to start the second set until the Generals went on a 3-1 run to take a 6-4 lead. Debiec notched the only kill of the run, while the Marlins registered back-to-back attacking errors. Virginia Wesleyan took a 14-12 lead after rattling off five straight points. Their lead extended later in the set with a 5-1 run, putting them up 21-16. A block from Mitchener and Nichoson, alongside a kill from Mitchener, cut the lead to three, but the Marlins scored four unanswered points to claim the set 25-18.
- Virginia Wesleyan opened the scoring in the third set with an 8-1 run before a block from Schellenberg and Taylor slowed their momentum. Five straight points from the Marlins extended their lead to ten, but a service error and a kill from Schellenberg shut down the run. A block from Goerig and Nichoson along with a VWU attack error cut the deficit to eight, but seven unanswered points from the Marlins gave them a 22-7 advantage. The Generals cut the deficit to 13 as Mitchener and Debiec recorded back-to-back kills, but two straight kills from the Marlins secured the sweep.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Hannah Smith of VWU led the match with 14 kills on 42 attempts with only one error for a .310 hitting percentage. Madi Schmidt added ten in the win with a .269 hitting percentage. Debiec and Mitchener led the Generals with seven kills each.
- Niya Nash of VWU dished out a match-high 42 assists, while Sienna Nichoson led the Generals with 19 assists.
- Hannah Smith led the Marlins with 21 digs, while three other Marlins reached double-digit digs. Mitchener led the Blue and White with 13 digs, while Vasquez (11) and Schellenberg (10) each reached double-digit digs.
- Mitchener and Goerig led the Generals with three blocks each, while Brianna Clay and Breana Brooks each had three, including one solo block for the Marlins.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals fall to 18-5 on the season with a 6-3 record in conference play. The loss also snapped a three-game winning streak over the Marlins, moving the all-time series lead to 34-6.
- The Blue and White recorded 25 kills—a season-low—on 116 swings with 14 errors for a .095 hitting percentage.
UP NEXT
- The 22nd-ranked Generals are back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 21 as they welcome Hollins University for an ODAC match at 6:30 p.m. inside Holekamp Gym.
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.
