(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Wilson avenged an early season defeat by going the distance and winning a five-set thriller over Mount Aloysius on Thursday evening. The Phoenix dropped the opening match of the season to the Mounties in three sets, but quickly showed that they were an improved team by winning the first two sets today.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 3, Mount Aloysius 2 (25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 14-25, 15-12)
Venue: Gannett Field House
Records: Wilson 3-8, Mount Aloysius 4-10
How It Happened
- Wilson came out ready to play and used an 8-1 run capped by five consecutive points to take a 13-5 lead in the opening set. Jonathan Minnick (So., Dublin, Va. / New River CC) and Xavier Webber (Fy., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) both served a pair of aces, while Saria Alshaikhali (Jr., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Hayfield) downed a pair of kills in the rally. Mount Aloysius climbed back into the set with a 6-1 run to cut Wilson's lead to 18-14, but the Blue and Black answered with kills from Webber and Wyatt Tribett (So., Myersville, Md. / Middletown). The Phoenix were able to keep at least a four point lead the rest of the way.
- Momentum stayed with the Phoenix at the start of the second as a pair of kills form Demetrius Simmons (Fy., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) and a couple of Webber aces helped put Wilson up 8-3. The Mounties were able to answer and eventually took the lead at 11-10. They extended it to 15-12 and 17-14 before Wilson reeled off a 6-0 run highlighted by two Webber kills to regain control. MAC stayed within one as late as 23-22 before a service error and a bad set gave Wilson a 2-0 lead.
- Mount Aloysius mounted their comeback attempt in the third. A 7-1 run gave the visitors a 16-8 lead, their largest of the night to that point. Wilson chipped away and eventually got within three at 21-18 and 23-20, but could get no closer. The Mounties had their best set of the night in the fourth as they scored 11 of the last 15 points to force the deciding fifth.
- Simmons played a pivotal role in Wilson's fifth set and started it off with a pair of kills. A laser serve by Simmons then found an open spot in the MAC back row to put Wilson up 4-1. The Mounties eventually tied the set at 5- and 6-all before the Phoenix went back up for good. Simmons again came up big up front as two solo blocks made the score 11-7, and another kill by him made it 13-10. Mount Aloysius scored the next two to get back within one, but a service error and a bad attack gave Wilson the match win.
Inside The Numbers
- Webber led the Phoenix attack once again with 15 kills. It was his third-best hitting percentage of the season with a mark of .216 on 37 attempts. He did well defensively as he picked up 11 digs for hist fourth consecutive double double and fifth overall on the season.
- Simmons also hit double figures with 10 kills on 26 attempts for a hitting percentage of .346, his second- best mark of the season. He added three blocks, none bigger than the two solo rejections in the fifth set.
- Wilson was excellent serving the ball and laid down 12 aces on the night. Webber placed four of them to give him 20 points for the day. Simmons and Minnick both added three a piece.
- Defensively Noah Wickenheiser (Sr., Cresco, Pa. / Notre Dame) led the team on the receiving end with 24 digs, easily setting a new career-best by eight.
- Minnick set up the attack with 33 assists.
For The Mounties
- Matthew Franz led all players with 18 kills. Logan Place added 10.
Up Next
Wilson will prep for another twin bill on Saturday as the Phoenix head to Phoenixville to take on Valley Forge. It will be the CSAC opener for Wilson, but only the first match against the Patriots will go towards the conference standings as the second contest is designated as a non-conference match.
