Volleyball's Season Ends With Tough 3-2 Loss to Lycoming in Conference Tournament

(box score)

Widener dominated play in the first set, but could not hold on to the momentum in a 3-2 loss (25-17, 20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 12-15) to Lycoming in the first round of the Commonwealth Conference Tournament at Schwartz Center.

It looked like it would be the Pride's night after the first set. The home team made things look easy with a .371 hitting percentage thanks to 16 kills, including four from sophomore Kaitlin Schnalzer (Bethlehem, PA). Lycoming had only eight kills and a .192 percentage.

The Warriors (22-12) then won two close sets helped largely by Chelsee Strine, who had a combined nine kills and just one error over 18 swings in this span. Widener had a .306 percentage in the third set with 14 kills that included six from senior Shauna Phillips (Dallas, PA), but could not come through.

Things changed in the fourth set as Widener (16-16) took the lead at 4-3 and did not look back. Schnalzer posted five kills in the set and the home team amassed 14.

The fifth set saw neither team lead by more than two points until the final. With Widener up 12-11, Lycoming got consecutive kills from Katelyn McKillop, Jackie Oliva and Shelby Gear to take a 14-12 lead. It then benefitted from a Widener hitting error to end it.

Strine and Bethany Richardson had four kills apiece in the set for the Warriors, who ended with 12 in that time with a .286 percentage vs. .154 for the Pride.

Strine played great with 17 kills and 21 digs, Richardson notched 12 kills and Gear had 11 for the Warriors, who won despite a .195 percentage and 10 receiving errors. McKillop posted 48 assists and 17 digs with Kristin Whitehead getting 28 digs for the Warriors.

Phillips had a solid match with 14 kills and just two errors for a .429 percentage. Schnalzer recorded 14 kills and 10 digs, senior Angela DiMaria (Warrington, PA) notched 13 and 12 with junior Maggie Greenberg (Meadowbrook, PA) adding 52 assists.

Senior Meghan Spence (Havertown, PA) had 21 digs and sophomore Jessica Dembeck (Philadelphia, PA) served six aces for the Pride, who totaled 59 kills and a .223 percentage.

Widener was playing just its second home conference tournament match in school history.

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