WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – In their first two conference matches of the season, the Pride lost to the Wilkes University Colonels and the Arcadia University Knights. Widener fell to Wilkes in five sets and fell to Arcadia in four.
The Pride are now 6-6 in the regular season and 0-2 in the MAC.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST WILKES
Dylan Beer and
Josh Matchett starred for Widener in the first match. Beer led the team with 15 kills. Matchett led the way with three service aces and a season-high 42 assists. The Pride got 53 kills on 140 total attacks, and they recorded a .221 hitting percentage.
After finding themselves in an early 2-0 hole, the Pride ripped off four straight points, which included a
Matthew Christ kill and a service ace. After a few Wilkes' errors, the Pride led 7-3. Later in the set, Widener was able to score two points for every one point by the Colonels. They did this three times in a row. Although the Colonels attempted to regain the lead, their errors were costly. The final point in the set was a kill from Christ. Widener took the first set 25-17.
A bad set from Wilkes gave Widener their first point of the second set. Both sides kept each other in check early on, as the score was 6-5 Widener. However, the Colonels scored four consecutive points, which forced a Widener timeout. A 4-1 run from the Pride a few rallies later, which included two Beer kills, tied the score at 12. Three straight points from Wilkes was the deciding factor, as they never trailed for the rest of the set. The Colonels walked away victorious in the second set 25-21. The teams each had one win.
A Beer kill started things off for the Pride in the third set. Moments later, the Colonels utilized a 5-1 run to go up 7-3. When
Nick Poulson was subbed in, the Pride countered the Colonels' attacks and get to within two points. Despite Widener's efforts, Wilkes went on a 7-1 run to further the gap between the two sides, 17-9. Widener's final six points of the set were due to either an attack error or service error from the Colonels. Wilkes won the third set 25-17. Wilkes was now up two sets to one.
After two points from Wilkes to begin the fourth set, Widener answered with three points of their own. Two Beer kills and a Wilkes' attack error were the sources. The set was tightly contested through the initial rallies, and the score was eventually tied at 8-8. Consecutive kills from Christ gave the Pride a 10-8 advantage, only for the Colonels to match those two points. With the score at 13-11 Widener, each side used a 4-1 run. Wilkes almost made things interesting in the end with a 3-0 run down by four points, but the Pride sealed the win with a service error from Wilkes. The Pride won the fourth set 25-22. One more set would decide the winner of the match.
The Colonels' 3-0 start to the final set was halted when a service error gave the Pride their first point. Not long after, the Pride scored two in a row with a kill from
Ethan Cox and an attack error from the Colonels. Wilkes went on a 3-0 run before the sides went back and forth for the remainder of the set. A point by Widener was answered with a Wilkes point seven straight times. Although the Pride's offense stayed strong, Wilkes took the final set 15-11. They won the match three sets to two.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST ARCADIA
Benjamin Heist had the most kills for the Pride in the second match (10). Widener had 41 kills on 116 total attacks. Matchett followed up his 42 assists against Wilkes with 31 assists versus Arcadia. Widener's hitting percentage against the Knights was .103.
Despite a hot 5-1 start from the Knights, Widener responded with back-to-back kills from
Michael Martino. With the score at 7-3 Arcadia, a 4-1 Widener run got the score within two points. In the middle of the set, however, errors from the Pride were part of a 7-0 Arcadia push to increase the Knights' lead. Down 24-13, on the brink of a first-set loss, Widener scored five in a row. Beer and Heist had kills in that stretch. An Arcadia kill finished off the set, though. The Knights won the first set 25-18.
A Martino kill was the initial score for the Pride in set two. Almost identical to the previous set, Widener dug themselves into an early 6-1 hole. But, the Pride came out of a timeout with three straight points, capped off with a service ace from Martino. Widener continued their comeback with the help of Arcadia errors and strong kills. The Knights called timeout after a Pride defensive stand tied the score 14-14. Widener took advantage of the Knights losing momentum, as they went up 21-15. Although the Knights nearly came back for the tie at the end, the set ended on a Christ kill. Widener took the second set 25-23, and each side had claimed one victory.
As the third set was underway, back-to-back attack errors from Arcadia tied the game 3-3. A good portion of the scoring in the first part of the set came on errors from both teams. Down by one, the Pride earned two kills from Martino and Matchett. The score was 11-10 Widener. A few rallies later, however, the Knights went on a 4-1 run and never gave the lead back to the Pride. Widener made attempts to cut the deficit to three, but it just was not enough to overcome Arcadia's offense. Widener's final point of the set was on a Knights' attack error. The Knights won the third set 25-20. Arcadia led two sets to one.
The Pride got their first point of the last set on a Christ kill, which stopped a potential run from Arcadia. Widener climbed back into the set thanks to some mistakes from their opponent and consecutive kills by Martino. The score was 8-8. The Pride kept things close for a bit before the Knights used a 7-1 run to push their lead to 18-12. Almost down by double digits, Widener made a final 6-1 run to cut into the deficit. But, the Knights finished the match with a kill. Arcadia won the final set 25-20. The Knights claimed victory in three of the four sets.
UP NEXT
The Pride are back to work on Saturday in another road tri-match, this time in Bronx, N.Y. They will take on the Lehman College Lightning first at 11 a.m. Then, the Pride will face the Saint Elizabeth University Eagles at 1 p.m.
