CHESTER, Pa. - The Widener Women's Volleyball team pushed Hood to the limit in a back-and-forth road matchup, ultimately falling in five sets.
Widener drops to 13–13 on the year and 4–3 in conference play.
BY THE NUMBERS
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Widener came out strong and never looked back, taking the first set 25–22. The Pride built momentum early behind Gabriella Bottino's sharp serving run, which included multiple aces to open up a steady lead. Benjamin and Kristen Vacca helped keep the offense rolling with key swings at the net, while Barnes added a service ace to extend the advantage. Despite a late push from Hood, the Pride stayed composed and closed out the set to take a 1–0 match lead on the road.
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The Pride stayed locked in to take the second set 25–21 and extend their match lead to 2–0. Bottino once again led the charge from the service line with several clutch aces that kept Widener in control. Ava Kramer and Airyn Zimmerman added steady production at the net, while Barnes continued to make an impact. The Pride maintained a small but steady advantage throughout, capitalizing on key Hood miscues and strong defensive play to close out the frame.
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Widener battled hard in the third, but Hood gained momentum late to edge out a 25–23 win and stay alive in the match. The Pride held a slim lead through much of the set behind strong play from Kramer and Bottino, while Zimmerman delivered key service aces to keep the offense rolling. Despite the effort, a late surge from the Blazers flipped the frame, cutting Widener's match lead to 2–1.
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The Pride carried early momentum in the fourth, jumping ahead with service aces from Bottino and kills from Kramer and Benjamin. The Pride kept chasing the Blazers throughout much of the frame, with Bottino and Zimmerman adding pressure from the service line. Despite holding a late lead, a series of attacking errors allowed Hood to rally and take the set 25–19, sending the match to a decisive fifth.
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Widener battled to the very end in the decisive fifth set, keeping the score tight throughout. Despite a strong defensive effort and key swings that kept momentum within reach, the Pride couldn't find the final push as Hood pulled away late to take the set 15–13 and the match.
UP NEXT
The Pride remain on the road as they travel to Glassboro, N.J., for a tri-match where they take on Rowan and Susquehanna. Game times are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
