PHILADELPHIA – The Thomas Jefferson University volleyball team (15-6, 9-2 CACC) won a pair of matches at the Gallagher Center on Sunday, defeating Caldwell (6-13, 5-7 CACC), 3-0, in a CACC match and topping West Chester (15-7), 3-2, in non-conference action.
 
MATCH ONE – W, 3-0 vs. Caldwell
The Rams scored six of the match's first seven points to take an early lead. Leading 12-8, Jefferson pulled away with a 7-1 run to up the margin to 10 (19-9), going on to take the opening set, 25-15.
 
With the teams even at two, the Cougars strung together three points to go in front. Caldwell had an 8-6 advantage but the Rams rallied for six of the next seven to take control. The Cougars tallied three in a row to even it up at 12 before Jefferson closed the frame with a 13-3 surge to win it, 25-15.
 
In the third, Caldwell held a slim 7-6 lead before the Rams produced seven of the next eight to go in front 13-8. The Cougars worked their way back and managed to even the score at 17. However, Jefferson responded six straight and went on to clinch the match with a 25-19 triumph.
 
Quick Hits
Morgan Ritchie: 13 kills, .357 hitting percentage, 7 digs
Sam Mann: 9 kills, .467 hitting percentage, 3 blocks
Jess Molen: 8 kills, 6 digs
Aja Smith: 7 kills, .357 hitting percentage
Kristine Guenther: 33 assists, 7 digs, 3 service aces
Cameron Johnson: 21 digs, 4 assists
 
MATCH TWO – W, 3-2 vs. West Chester
The teams were even at six in the opening set before the Golden Rams scored five in a row to take the lead. WCU did not trail for the rest of the frame on the way to a 25-20 victory. The Rams trailed in the second, 9-8, before embarking on a 6-2 stretch to go ahead 14-11. Leading 18-15, Jefferson pulled away with seven of the next nine to even the match with a 25-17 decision.
 
The Rams were up by one (8-7) in the third set. Jefferson created distance with six consecutive points. The Golden Rams were only able to cut the deficit to four and the Rams recorded the last five of the stanza for a 25-15 win.
 
The two sides traded runs in the fourth, with each team leading by multiple points on more than one occasion. It was tight down the stretch and the set needed extra points to decide a winner. With the score level at 29, WCU posted a kill and benefitted from a bad set to win the marathon, 31-29.
 
In the decisive fifth set, it was tied at four before the Golden Rams rallied for five of the next six and a 9-5 advantage. The West Chester lead was three (11-8) before Jefferson stunned the visitors with a 7-1 spurt to claim the match with a 15-12 victory.
 
Quick Hits
Sam Mann: 17 kills, .333 hitting percentage, 5 blocks
Jess Molen: 15 kills, 15 digs
Morgan Ritchie: 14 kills, .324 hitting percentage, 11 digs
Kalen Jordan: 11 kills, .318 hitting percentage, 3 blocks
Kristine Guenther: 54 assists, 16 digs, 3 blocks
Cameron Johnson: 15 digs, 3 assists, 3 service aces
 
UP NEXT
The Rams visit crosstown rival Holy Family on Wednesday, October 19^th for a 6 p.m. conference match.