WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Two matches, two wins. That's how the Millersville women's volleyball team started its 2022 campaign Friday at the RamFest Tournament. The Marauders opened Friday's action with a 3-1 win over Le Moyne before sweeping Franklin Pierce.
Rose Vail recorded a career-high 13 kills against Le Moyne while
Kylie Airesman led the team with 11 and
Caroline Halsey provided an efficient eight kills with a .538 hitting percentage in the win over Franklin Pierce. Sophomore setter
Emma Ludwig gave the Marauders a double-double of 35 assists and 15 digs in match one and 34 assists and eight digs in match two.
VS. LE MOYNE
• Both Airesman and
Emily Hoffman recorded four service aces as the Marauders used their serve to their advantage. The team totaled 14 aces in the match while Le Moyne managed just one. The Marauders rolled to a 25-14 first-set win behind 15 kills to three errors. The Marauders scored eight of the set's final 10 points--a stretch that included three kills from Halsey, who finished the match with nine.
• Millersville stormed to an 11-2 lead in the second set and held off a late charge from Le Moyne for a 25-19 win. Le Moyne extended the match with a 25-19 win in the third set, turning a 17-16 advantage into a 22-16 lead with three Marauders' errors and a couple of Rose Talty kills. After posting five kills and 10 errors in the third, Millersville responded with 16 kills to four errors in a 25-22 fourth-set win. Le Moyne led 21-20 late, but Millersville scored four-straight points, and Airesman finished off the match with a kill.
VS. FRANKLIN PIERCE
• The Marauders pulled off a sweep despite all three sets being decided by five points or fewer (25-21, 25-20, 25-23). The Marauders out-hit Franklin Pierce .217 to .146, and for the second-consecutive match, they limited their opponents to just one ace.
• Ludwig evenly distributed her 34 assists with four players recording at least five kills and Airesman leading the way with 11.
Becca Dalstad was outstanding in the libero spot, recording 19 digs, three aces without an error and three kills without an error.
• Millersville rallied from a 17-14 deficit in set one and scored eight of the match's final 11 points. That run included a kill from six different players. The Marauders trailed as late as 14-13 in set two, but four-straight points that included two kills from Halsey and one from Airesman put the Marauders in front and they led the rest of the way. Millersville started quickly in the third, leading 12-8 before Franklin Pierce went on a 9-5 run of its own to take a 17-15 lead. Millersville retaliated by scoring on seven of the next nine rallies. With the score tied 23-23, Vail and Halsey delivered back-to-back kills for the win.
NOTES
• Millersville is 2-0 for the first time since 2017.
• The win over Le Moyne was Millersville's first in five meetings. It was the first match between the teams since 2016. Millersville is now 3-3 all-time against Franklin Pierce.
UP NEXT
• Millersville starts Saturday's action early at 10 a.m., against Goldey-Beacom. Millersville closes its weekend with Georgian Court at 2 p.m.
