In a thrilling five set endeavor, the Chestnut Hill College women's volleyball team outlasted an improved Goldey-Beacom College squad for their first conference win, defeating the Lightning 3-2 in front of a supportive crowd at Sorgenti Arena Tuesday night.
The Griffins improve to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games. The Lightning fall to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
The Lightning took the first set 25-21 before the Griffins rallied to take the next two 25-20 and 27-25. Goldey-Beacom then forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-22 win in set four. Chestnut Hill pulled away late in the fifth set to take the match 15-12.
Cha'kya Johnson led all players with 18 kills to pace the Griffins. Johnson also hit a respectable .343 (18-6-35). Erika Dubosky added 12 kills while Maya Hopson and Rachel Mace had ten apiece.
Mia Caporellie set the offense, recording 47 assists on the evening. She also led the team along with Dubosky with three service aces.
Mace and Dubosky added 19 and 17 digs respectively to record double-doubles on the night. Alexandra Crespin chalked up 17 to join the two hitters in double figures. Hopson and Angela April had five blocks apiece with Hopson recording four solo blocks.
The match itself saw 41 ties and 23 lead changes as both teams battled throughout the five sets.
Seven of those lead changes and ten tries came in the opening set as the Griffins battled to an 18-17 lead but saw the Lightning rally with an 8-3 run to close out the set and go up 1-0 in the match with a 25-21 win.
Seven ties through the first half of the second set saw neither team taking more than a two point advantage. The Griffins took the lead for good on an April kill to forge ahead 13-12, starting a 6-1 run leading to an 18-13 lead. The Lightning struck back and pulled within one 20-19 before the Griffins closed out the match scoring five of the next six points with the set-winner coming on a Mace ace.
Chestnut Hill trailed for much of the third set and were behind 21-15 when their offense, fired up by the supportive crowd, scored eight straight points to take a 23-21 lead and force two Lightning timeouts over the run. Goldey came back to take a 25-24 lead before a kill from Mace tied the score. And the Griffins then scored the next two points, first from a Johnson kill and the second from a block from Johnson and April to take the set 27-25.
The Griffins trailed much of the fourth set but took a 22-20 lead late. However, the Lightning had other plans, scoring five straight points to win 25-22 and force the decisive fifth set.
The Lightning continued their strong play early in the final set, jumping out to a 7-3 lead and forcing a Griffin timeout out. Out of the timeout the Griffins scored four straight points to tie the match at 7-7. Goldey scored three of the next four points to retake the lead 10-8 but the Griffins rallied to tie the score at 11-11 and forge a 13-11 following a Caporellie ace. Following an attack error by the Lightning Mace served for the match and Dubosky put down a solid kill to give the Griffins the win.
Piper Nanouski led the Lightning with 17 kills while Giuliana Maku added 11. Gaby Fernandez led all players with 23 digs with Jaku chipping in 15.
The Griffins return to action on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, when the host Kutztown University in a non-conference match at Sorgenti Arena. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
