Box Score vs. Penn College
Box Score vs. Baptist Bible (Pa.)

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. –  Down 12-9 in the fifth set, junior Jackie Oliva (Barnesville, Pa./Mahoney Area) took over, posting three kills in a four-point run to help the Lycoming College volleyball team tie the match at 13, helping the Warriors open their 2011 campaign with a pair of wins in a tri-match, beating Baptist Bible (Pa.), 3-2, in the nightcap and Penn College, 3-0, in the opener on Thursday, Sept. 1 at the Lamade Gymnasium.

Oliva took over for the Warriors (2-0 overall) in the fifth set, posting five of her team-high 17 kills in the final stanza to will the team to the 3-2 (17-25, 25-20, 25-20, 19-25, 16-14) win over the Defenders (1-1 overall.)

The Defenders got out to a solid start, hitting .333 in the first set en route to a 25-17 win, but the Warriors responded by taking the next two sets with identical 25-20 scores. In the second set, the Warriors broke open the set with four straight points after it was tied at 19, ending the run with a service ace from freshman Kristen Whitehead (Avon, Ohio/Avon) and a block by Oliva and sophomore Katelyn McKillop (Mount Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mountain West). In the third set, the Warriors went on a 10-5 run after the set was tied at 15.

In the fourth set, the Defenders took a 25-19 decision, setting up the final set.

Sophomore Chelsee Strine (South Boardman, Mich./Forest Area) posted nine kills and three digs and freshman Amber Seibel (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) added eight kills and 11 digs. McKillop notched 35 assists and 13 digs for her first double-double of the year and Whitehead notched 15 digs and two aces. Oliva also led the team with four blocks.

Jessica White led the Defenders with 19 kills and nine digs and Jaycee Shirk posted 12 kills, 16 digs and three blocks. Laura Hodupp posted nine kills and 16 digs and Katelin Boughton notched 46 assists and 10 digs.

Oliva led the Warriors with 13 kills and a hot .478 hitting percentage to lead the Warriors to a season-opening 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-18) win over Penn College in the tri-match’s first event.

For much of the first two sets, the Warriors and Wildcats battled back and forth, with the Warriors leading by no more than three points and the Wildcats leading by no more than one in the first set. The Warriors took a 22-19 lead late in the set after a kill by sophomore Shelby Gear (Rochester, N.Y./Gates-Chili), but the Warriors fought back to tie it at 23. From there, the teams traded sideouts to 26 before Oliva closed the set with a pair of kills.

In the second set, the Warriors scored four straight points after the score was tied at 14, but the Wildcats came back to tie it at 21. However, a kill by senior Heather Keller (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) helped the Warriors go on another 4-0 run to close the set.

In the final set, Lycoming opened on a 12-4 run and led by as many as 11 at 19-8 before a late Wildcat run closed the margin to 25-18.

McKillop posted four kills, 28 assists, nine digs and two blocks in a balanced effort for the Warriors and sophomore Kendra Bitner (Newville, Pa./Big Spring) added six kills, four digs and three blocks. Keller posted four aces, six digs and four kills.

Lindsay Moyer posted 11 kills and Tara Powell added 10 kills and 11 digs to lead the Wildcats. Lyndsey Smith posted 25 assists and nine digs.

The Warriors get back in action on Tuesday when they host Mt. Aloysius in non-conference action at the Lamade Gym at 7 p.m.