(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Looking to build upon its three-match win streak, Wilson hosted Olivet College for a pair of contests on Thursday afternoon. The Comets proved to be formidable contenders and took both matches against the Phoenix.
The Basics
Scores: Match 1 – Wilson 0, Olivet 3 (25-20, 25-22, 25-19)
Match 2 – Wilson 1, Olivet 3 (25-15, 25-16, 17-25, 25-14)
Venue: Gannett Field House
Records: Wilson 5-10, Olivet 6-9
How It Happened (Match 1)
- Olivet jumped out to a 9-4 lead before Wilson generated some momentum with a 4-0 run to pull within one. Xavier Webber (Fy., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) added to the run with an ace while Jacob McCoy (Fy., York, Pa. / Spring Grove) and Wyatt Tribett (So., Myersville, Md. / Middletown) charged the team up with a block. The Phoenix stayed within one as late as 12-11 before the Comets went on a 5-0 run and scored eight of the next nine to go up 20-12. Wilson answered by scoring six of the next seven with a block by McCoy and Webber further closing the deficit, but they could get no closer than four the rest of the way.
- A 7-1 rally helped Wilson take charge in the second as the Phoenix looked to even the match, but the Comets bounced back and tied the game at 9-all. A block by Demetrious Simmons (Fy., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) and Webber helped put Wilson back up 14-11 before Olivet answered with the next four points. A Webber kill tied the set at 15, but the Comets took the lead for good with the next three points. Tribett laid down an ace late as the Phoenix pulled within one before Olivet went up 2-0 with the final two points.
- Olivet never trailed in the third as it scored the opening five points. Wilson clawed its way to get back within two at 9-7 after a Comets service error, but the Comets eventually extended their lead to 10 at 21-11. The Phoenix started to rally and saw Webber and McCoy spike down a pair of kills in the process, but the deficit was too much for Wilson to overcome as the Comets took the sweep.
How It Happened (Match 2)
- After a short break between matches, the Phoenix looked to turn their fortunes around. They did so in the early goings as kills from Saria Alshaikhali (Jr., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Hayfield) and Tribett kept the initial set tied. However, another mid-set push by the Comets gave them control once again as they took a 20-10 lead. Wilson scored four out of five points late, but the deficit was too much to overcome as Olivet took the initial set.
- The Comets remained in control during the second. The Phoenix were able to put a string of three points together just once during the game as the Comets took a 2-0 lead.
- The third set was the best of the day for the Phoenix as they avoided another sweep. A bad set, a block by Jonathan Minnick (So., Dublin, Va. / New River CC) and an ace by Simmons put Wilson up 9-6, and after Olivet scored the next point, Wilson went on its longest run of the day with seven-straight points. Webber led the charge with a kill, Minnick added an ace, and three consecutive blocks – two by McCoy and Webber and one by Webber alone – firmly put Wilson in control en route to its only win.
- As good of the third set was for the Phoenix, the start of the fourth set was the opposite as the Comets raced out to a 7-2 lead. Wilson didn't give up and eventually got back within two with a 6-1 run highlighted by aces from Webber and Ian Ruiz (Jr., Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico / Santa Maria del Camino), but any momentum was short-lived as the Comets regained control and scored 11-of-13 points to close the match.
Inside The Numbers
- Webber finished the day with a team-high 16 kills split between nine in the first match and seven in the second.
- Defensively Alshaikhali led the Phoenix with 10 digs in the opener while Minnick hit double-digits for just the second time this season to lead team in the second with 11 pick-ups.
- The Phoenix had its best match of the season blocking-wise with nine rejections in the second match. McCoy led the way up front as he went up for six of them. Webber added five with one solo. Both of them had eight overall on the day.
- Minnick set up the attack with 32 total assists on the day.
For The Comets
- Deontay Thomas led all players with 13 kills in the opener. He was also part of a trio of Comets in double figures in the second with 11. Ethan Valente and Quinn Dickerson joined him with 11 and 10, respectively.
Up Next
Wilson will look to get back in the win column on Saturday as the Phoenix heads to the Big Apple to take on Pratt Institute in CSAC action. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
