WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Sept. 25) -- The Thiel College Women's Volleyball team opened its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) slate with a sweep at Waynesburg University Friday evening from Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.
The Tomcats rise to 4-4 (1-0) with set wins of 25-16, 27-25 and 25-18 while the Yellow Jackets dip to 1-12 (0-1). The win marks Thiel's seventh consecutive series triumph over Waynesburg and is the Cats' third straight win in a PAC opener.
A 4-0 set-one Thiel run bookended with a pair of blocks pushed the visitors ahead 12-7. Kills from
Arin DeLattre (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) and
Caitlin Stephens (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) pushed Thiel ahead 18-15 as the Cats closed the set on a 7-0 run to lead 1-0.
DeLattre had a team-high-tying eight kills on .313 with three blocks. Stephens added seven kills with a match-high-tying four blocks.
A 5-0 Tomcat run with back-to-back combo blocks from Stephens and
Lyndzee Amory (Edinboro, Pa./Saegertown) pushed Thiel ahead 13-10 in set two. The home side came back with a 7-0 run and 8-of-9 to have set points at 24-22. The Tomcats ended the frame with 5-of-6 as Amory and Stephens each had two kills and
Jordan Yoder (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) ended the frame with an ace.
Amory smacked seven kills with a career- and match-high-tying four blocks. Yoder posted a match- and career-high 23 digs.
Back-to-back
Anna Grandas (Somerset, Pa./North Star) kills started a 3-0 run to knot set three at 12. After the Jackets answered with 3, Thiel logged 6 in a row to lead 18-15. The Cats ended the match with 6-of-7 as
Ava Byer (Hollsopple, Pa./Canemaugh Township Area) and Stephens posted the final kills in the victory.
Byer tied for the team lead with eight kills while Grandas had four kills and two blocks.
Addi Vagi (Marysville, Mich./Marysville) logged a double-double with a match-high 19 assists and 11 digs while
Owen Hansen (Lyman, Wyo./Lyman) tallied 14 helpers and seven digs.
Macie Williams (Cochranton, Pa./Cochranton) added eight digs.
Thiel held an 8-6 edge in blocks while recording 61 digs and limiting the home side to .065 hitting.
The Tomcats are back in action next Wednesday for a 7 p.m. PAC clash at Westminster.
