Women's Volleyball Comeback Falls Short in Opener Against West Chester
WEST CHESTER, PA – The Thomas Jefferson University women's volleyball team (0-1) opens the season as they came back down 2-0 to force a fifth set but would fall to West Chester University (2-2) 2-3 in non-conference competition.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set saw both teams score evenly at 3-3 until the Rams earned six of the next seven points to go up 9-4. The Golden Rams would charge back as they would tie the score at 11-11, getting momentum to eventually take the lead 13-12. Both teams would keep pushing the other, with West Chester going on a four-point swing while putting themselves ahead of Jefferson to go up match point 24-20. The Rams would get the next four points to tie the set up, but two straight kills from West Chester would give the Golden Rams a 26-24 win to go up 1-0 in the first.
The second set would see the Golden Rams once again earning four straight points to go ahead 6-3. West Chester would keep their attack going, putting on a 5-2 run to keep their lead up 11-5. Jefferson would score the next four points, but an 8-2 turnaround for West Chester kept them ahead 19-11. The Rams would keep cutting into the lead, but would fall in the second set as the Golden Rams would take it 25-17 and be up 2-0.
After another even start from both teams, Jefferson would mount their comeback as they would take the next five point and be in front 8-3. The Rams would keep the attack going as they would go up 15-10. West Chester would score three straight points, but Jefferson responded with their own four-point run as they extended their lead 19-13. After the score turned to 21-14, the Golden Rams would get ahead after going on a 10-2 run to take the lead at 24-23 before Jefferson would tie the set up at 24-24. After West Chester secured the next point, the Rams would have three straight kills to take the third set 27-25 and make the series 2-1.
Jefferson wasted little time in the fourth set as they would go and take a 13-5 lead. The Rams would keep adding to their lead as they made the score 18-13. Even with a Golden Rams push, Jefferson refused to let their lead go as they went up 23-15. West Chester would get near the end of the set, making it a two-point game before a Jefferson kill would give the Rams a 25-23 win in the fourth and tie the game at 2-2 going into the final set.
With the game on the line, neither team would falter as the game was tied at 3-3. West Chester scored the next three points, but Jefferson would tie the game at 9-9. The Rams would take the lead, eventually making it a 14-12 lead at match point. The Golden Rams would even it at 14-14, then both West Chester and Jefferson would trade points back and forth and keep it within one-point throughout the last set. After Jefferson made it a 22-22 game, the Golden Rams would get a kill and a service ace to secure a 24-22 victory in the fifth set, giving West Chester the 3-2 win over the Rams.
INSIDE THE BOX
Morgan Ritchie: 21 kills (career-high), 11 digs
Kalen Jordan: 10 kills, 3 blocks
Aja Smith: 10 kills, 3 digs, 2 blocks
Caroline Bond: 46 assists, 10 digs
Cameron Johnson: 30 digs, 7 assists
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UP NEXT
Jefferson will travel to Delaware as they compete in the Wilmington Wildcat Regional Invitational as they face Kutztown University on Friday, September 8 at 4 p.m. in non-conference action.
