By Erica Quinones
Editor-in-Chief
Washington College volleyball finished with a win and a loss, netting a victory in their Senior Day match against Muhlenberg College. The win boosted the Shorewomen to a 9–11 overall and a 2–6 Centennial Conference record.
The Shorewomen faced off against Haverford College’s Fords at an away game on Oct. 20.
The game opened with the Fords rushing to a 9–3 lead, clinching the first set with a kill at 25–18.
WC fought back in the second set, tying the Fords 5–5. However, Haverford came out on top, netting five of the next six points for a 10–6 advantage. A kill by the Fords closed the second set, 25–14.
After two lost sets, the Shorewomen rallied in the third for their first set win. Keeping the score tight throughout, junior Courtney Maxwell gave the Shorewomen a 24–23 lead with a kill. Senior Jenna Daunoras won the third set for the Shorewomen with a kill of her own, closing it 23–25.
While the Shorewomen began closing the set deficit, the Fords pushed forward in the fourth and final set. Netting the last three points, the Fords took the set and match on an attack error by the Shorewomen, winning 25–19.
Daunoras led the Shorewomen in blocks with a match-high of eight. She also netted the most aces for WC in the match, leading with two. Sophomore Angelina Schaber headed the Shorewomen in kills with nine. Maxwell and sophomore Sylvia Johnson tied for most digs at nine each.
The Shorewomen’s next match was a home game against Muhlenberg College’s Mules on Oct. 23, which was also WC’s Senior Day.
WC honored the team’s three seniors — Daunoras, Jensyn Hartzell, and Lauren Zedlar — at the match.
Opening the match with a 13–13 tie in the first set, the Shorewomen netted the next three points for a 16–13 advantage. WC clinched the first set on an attack miscue by the Mules, ending the first at 25–19.
The Mules rallied in the second set, breaking a 9–9 draw with six consecutive points. The Shorewomen lessened the deficit to a 17–15 lead for the Shorewomen; however, an 8–3 run by the Mules closed the set at 25–18.
Tied in sets, the Shorewomen and Mules kept it tight in the third. Tying at 21–21, the Shorewomen netted four of the final six points, winning the third set with a two-point margin at 25–23.
The fourth set started in favor of the Shorewomen, the Mules trailing 13–16 in what could have been the final set. However, the Mules rallied, clinching the fourth at 25–21.
The Shorewomen raced to a 13–5 lead in the fifth set, a kill by Schaber cementing the advantage. However, the Mules pushed back by netting nine of the next 10 points, lessening the deficit to 14–13. WC kept the advantage, winning the match at 15–13 on an attack miscue by the Mules.
The tight win against the Mules broke a nine-match losing streak to Muhlenberg College, clinching the Shorewomen’s first win against the team since 2010, according to the WC Athletics website.
Team leaders included Maxwell, who led with 15 kills. Johnson hit the most digs at 15. Freshman Colette Franck, Schaber, and Daunoras tied for most blocks, hitting three each. And Zedlar, sophomore Jordan Fairchild, and Daunoras tied for most service aces, netting two each.
Daunoras was named the Goose Nation TV Shorewoman Player of the Match for her turnout. The Shorewomen’s next showdown will be a Conference match against Johns Hopkins University on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
Photo by Izze Rios