By Chrissy Segrest
Elm Staff Writer
With injuries plaguing the volleyball team, a variety of younger players have found themselves in the lineup making impacts. Senior Kaitlyn Marino and sophomores Abby Hilty and Kylie Peets, consistent contributors, were underutilized during the matches due to injury.
The Shorewomen played Immaculata University on Tuesday, Oct. 16 in a 61-minute Purple Out for Domestic Abuse Awareness contest on the way to a 3-0 victory.
Only three days later, the Shorewomen took to the road to face the Alvernia University Golden Wolves and came away with another 3-0 win. The two wins moved Washington College record to 9-15.
Against the Mighty Macs, the first set started on an 8-3 run to propel WC on an eventual 25-17 victory. The set was finished on a kill from junior Cassie Kowalski. The Shorewomen hit .364 in the opening set, one of their highest hitting percentages of the year.
The second set started similarly, with WC gathering a 16-2 lead. Freshman Jenna Daunoras got the kill for set point to push the Shorewomen to their largest win margin all season, a 25-9 win.
For the third and final set, WC was leading 19-15. The Shorewomen won five straight points to lead 24-15, and a service error gave the Shorewomen the victory.
Sophomore Abby Smith had a match high of 14 kills, and a team best of eight digs, while fellow sophomore Isabella Sansanelli had three blocks that night. Sophomore Maria Summerville had a career-high 12 assists during the match, playing in all three sets.
“To see Summerville play so well is honestly amazing,” Sansanelli said. “She is such a team player and someone who wants absolutely nothing but the best for everyone on the team.”
Using that momentum, WC took on Alvernia University in one of their best matches all season. The Shorewomen were rolling in the first set, starting off with an 11-10 lead that turned into 11 straight points to bring the lead to 22-10 after an ace from freshman Lauren Zedlar. Smith then gathered the final point on an ace to end the set 25-13.
In the second set, the Shorewomen went off to the races for a 14-7 lead. Alvernia was able to gather some momentum for themselves and go on a 12-3 run to take a 19-17 lead. The Shorewomen responded with a 5-0 run. Leading 24-23, Smith mustered the final point on a kill to win the set.
For the third and final set, the Shorewomen won the last three points of the contest to win 25-20. Senior Lizzie Baden recorded a kill to bring it to 23-20, and then back-to-back miscues by the Golden Wolves ended the set and the match.
Smith, a staple in the Shorewomen lineup, had ten kills for a match-high and three aces herself. Zedlar had 17 assists and 12 digs for yet another double-double, to go along with three aces.
Sophomore Maggie Pietrucha played all three sets. During her first full match start, Pietrucha had a career high eight kills and hit a match-best of .316.
“Pietrucha really stepped up huge today,” Hilty said. “We were able to rely on her to get the kills we needed, which led to the win.”
The Shorewomen’s final contest of their season will be a home match against Centennial Conference opponent Muhlenberg College.
The seniors, Baden and Kaitlyn Marino, will be honored for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the team on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.