Box Score Newark, Del. - (9/11/2015) – Two sets into its second match of the day at the Wildcat Regional Invitational, the Chestnut Hill College women's volleyball team appeared destined for a straightforward first victory of the season. American International College (AIC) had other plans, however, eking out tight decisions in the third (25-22) and fourth sets (25-23) before finishing the rally with a 15-10 fifth-set verdict to cement a 3-2 triumph (10-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-10) at Wilmington University. It was the Griffins' third five-set defeat in six matches to begin the season.
 
After a 3-1 loss at the hands of Franklin Pierce University in the early afternoon session, Chestnut Hill College (0-6) came out firing in its second match of the day, junior outside hitter Madison McBride (Long Beach, Calif.) setting the tone with a pair of kills to begin the contest. The Griffins stretched the margin to 14-4 after consecutive bad sets by AIC (3-2) and the margin never dipped below double digits again. Senior outside hitter Rachel Biro (Nazareth, Pa.) dialed up back-to-back kills to close out a 25-10 rout, part of her seven-kill effort in the first set. As a team, the Griffins posted a remarkable .526 hitting percentage (12K-2E-19TA) in the opening stanza.
 
From there, the teams settled into a back-and-forth battle, each jockeying for position. The second set featured 10 ties, the last at 14-apiece, until the Griffins scratched their way to a four-point run bolstered by kills from freshman setter Kennedy Sutton (Chesapeake, Va.) and sophomore middle hitter Samantha Gelfan (Chandler, Ariz.), 18-14. Gelfan provided the finishing touches on the next three points for the scarlet and gold, her final kill of the set making it 21-17. AIC got within a point at 22-21, but Sutton set up McBride to stop the momentum and Biro sandwiched two kills around one by the Yellow Jackets to secure a 25-22 decision and a two-set advantage.
 
The Yellow Jackets had energy left for one final push, taking a 7-4 advantage early in the third set. But behind a pair of aces by senior defensive specialist Deanna Bianchini (Blue Bell, Pa.) and two kills by sophomore middle hitter Melissa Shunk (Laguna Niguel, Calif.), Chestnut Hill College went on a 6-0 run to wrest control back. AIC closed to a 12-10 deficit, but Shunk pumped in back-to-back kills and teamed with Gelfan for a block to stretch the lead back to five at 15-10. Not ready to surrender, the Yellow Jackets stung back quickly, seizing their first lead at 18-17 and, after the Griffins set up a 22-22 deadlock, winning the last three points to notch a 25-22 verdict. Using its newfound momentum, AIC led all the way in the fourth set and converted on its third set point, 25-23, to force a decisive fifth frame.
 
Unable to stem the tide, the Griffins watched AIC stake its claim with a 6-2 lead. Chestnut Hill College came within a single point three times, the last at 10-9, but the Yellow Jackets won the next three points and completed the comeback with an ace, 15-10.
 
Junior outside hitter Natlija Dordevic (Belgrade, Serbia) racked up a game-high 19 kills to lead AIC, which got 16 kills and 12 digs from senior outside hitter Bailey Swan (Belvidere, Ill.). Sophomore setter Amanda Encinas (Whittier, Calif.) led all players with 45 assists, and sophomore defensive specialist Mercy Rivera (Canovanas, P.R.) did so with 32 digs.
 
Gelfan enjoyed her best match in scarlet and gold, offering a career-high 13 kills without an error (13K-0E-26TA) for a .500 hitting percentage. Her 13 kills were the most without an error by a Griffin since Katie Schock '14 posted 15 in a 2011 match against Bloomfield College. McBride matched Gelfan with 13 kills of her own and added 14 digs for a double-double, while Biro contributed 12 kills and Shunk chipped in nine against just one error (9K-1E-13TA, .615) in addition to four block assists. Sutton orchestrated the offense with 43 assists, and junior libero Regina Trabosh (Norristown, Pa.) again demonstrated her defensive talents with 30 digs.
 
The Griffins are back in action at the Wildcat Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, September 12, with a pair of matches. They take on Le Moyne College at 12:00 p.m. before concluding the tournament with a 4:00 p.m. tilt against Pace University.