Box Score Philadelphia, Pa. - (10/11/2017) – Relentless grit and intensity catapulted the Chestnut Hill College women's volleyball team to a 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 24-26, 16-14) win over Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rival, Georgian Court University in this evening's Side-Out Dig Pink Foundation match. The Griffins found success in the first, 25-21, second, 25-21 and fifth sets, 16-14, with sophomore middle hitter Cassie Callahan (St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore outside hitter Reily Byxbee (Madison, Conn.) recording 14 kills apiece.
 
The first set was captured by Chestnut Hill College (5-16, 4-6), who maintained a narrowly lead over Georgian Court University (6-13, 6-4) until a 10-10 tie. A 4-1 Griffin run on the service of junior setter Kennedy Sutton (Chesapeake, Va.) allowed the Scarlet and Gold the cushion they needed for a 25-21 win. The following set was tight throughout as the Griffins and Lions tied 11 times before a 21-21 stalemate.  Pair of Chestnut Hill College points, on the serve of sophomore defensive specialist Janie Green (Hayes, Va.), forced a Georgian Court University timeout at 23-21. But the break did not frazzle Chestnut Hill College, who scored the frame's last two tallies on a Lion miscue and a Byxbee kill, 25-21.
 
The third and fourth sets were not as glorious for the Griffins as the Lions responded with respective wins of 25-21 and 26-24. That brought about a deciding set, where Georgian Court University dominated out of the gate. But their 4-1 lead did not last as the Griffins stormed back and forced a visitor timeout at 5-4. Still, the Lions regrouped and beat Chestnut Hill College to a 9-7 spread. The conclusion of the fifth set swayed back and forth before leaving the two teams in a 14-14 deadlock. A crucial kill by senior right side Samantha Gelfan (Chandler, Ariz.) gave the Griffins the 15-14 edge they needed to clinch the match on the following Wildcat error, 16-14.
 
Georgian Court University offered three players in double digit kills; junior outside hitter Peggy Rosario (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) was chief among them with 13. She also recorded one assist, one ace, 19 digs, and a block. Freshman setter Ashley Pierson (Rogersville, Mo.) supplied 25 assists and nine digs while three other joined Rosario in double digit digs.
 
Byxbee added 20 digs and two assists to her 14 kills, while Callahan offered five digs and two blocks to her 14 successful attacks. Additionally, Gelfan and freshman outside hitter Corrine Kalala (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) both recorded nine kills on a 43-assist effort from junior setter Kennedy Sutton (Chesapeake, Va.). Sutton also recorded two kills, an ace, four digs, and a block, while Gelfan and senior libero Peyton Reno (Wilmington, Del.) headlined the Griffin defense with six blocks and 25 digs, respectively.
 
The Chestnut Hill College women's volleyball team continues their CACC schedule on Saturday, October 14, when they visit Felician University for a 7:00 p.m. match.