(CRESSON, Pa.) – Opening weekend for the Wilson men's volleyball team continued as it played in a tri-match at Mount Aloysius that also involved Lynchburg on Saturday. The Phoenix dropped both contests as they fell in straight-sets to the Hornets before being downed in a five-set nail biter in the nightcap.
The Basic
Scores: Match 1 – Wilson 0, Lynchburg 3 (25-9, 25-23, 25-20)
Match 2 – Wilson 2, Mount Aloysius 3 (20-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 15-11)
Venue: Athletic Convocation & Wellness Center
Records: Wilson 0-3, Lynchburg 2-0, Mount Aloysius 1-1
How It Happened (Match 1 vs. Lynchburg)
- It was a slow start for Wilson as Lynchburg jumped out to an early advantage and had little trouble en route to a first set win, but the Phoenix didn't go down easy and made the Hornets work to take the next two. In the second the Blue and White led by three for the early portion of the frame, but a 5-0 run put Lynchburg up 17-15. Wilson answered with a 4-1 rally sparked by a kill from Xavier Webber (Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) to regain the lead. A block by Demetrius Simmons (Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) and Jackson Wolfe (FY, Abbottstown, Pa. / New Oxford) kept the Phoenix up 23-22 before the Hornets closed out the second with three consecutive kills.
- After trailing 5-2 early in the third, Wilson scored five of the next six to take the lead. Satvik Sharma (FY, Hummelstown, Pa. / Hershey) started the run with a kill while Webber added one later to tie it before a Lynchburg error made the score 7-6. The next three points went to the Hornets and they would stay in front the rest of the way. Wilson remained within as late as 22-20 before Lynchburg closed out the contest with the final three points.
How It Happened (Match 2 vs. Mount Aloysius)
- The final match of the day started out strong for the Phoenix. After the lead exchanged a few times through the middle of the first set, a Webber kill opened a 5-0 run to put Wilson up 18-14 as Wolfe and Webber provided additional points. The next 11 points alternated between teams before the Phoenix closed the set on a Mounties error and a Simmons kill.
- An early 7-0 run benefitted the Phoenix as they jumped out to a 10-5 lead to start the second. Simmons, Webber and Wolfe all provided kills during that stretch which was capped by Simmons and Wolfe doubling up on a block. Another Webber kill had Wilson in control at 20-13 before the Mounties rallied for the next five points. They eventually got to within one point, but errors cost the hosts as Wilson took a 2-0 lead.
- Both teams were even through the first 16 points in the third. The hosts then took control with an 8-1 run. Wilson was able to chip away and get back within one after three consecutive Mounties errors and stayed within one as late as 24-23 after a Simmons block. However, Mount Aloysius stayed alive and forced a fourth with a kill on the next point.
- The fourth was just as close for the most part. Wilson went up 14-11 after a Sharma and Jacob McCoy (Jr., York, Pa. / Spring Grove) block before the Mounties rallied to tie the game at 15-all. The game was tied twice more after that, but Mount Aloysius was able to tie the match by scoring seven of the last eight points.
- Wilson scored two of the first three of the fifth set only to see the Mounties come back and score 10 of the next 13 points to take a commanding lead. A pair of aces by Simmons kept the hand alive and a Ryan Koontz (So., York Haven, Pa. Red Land) kill made it 12-10, but that was the closest the Phoenix could get as the Mounties took the come-from-behind win.
Inside The Numbers
- Webber completed a strong day with a double-double in the nightcap. He scored 11 kills on 21 attempts for a hitting percentage of .429 while adding 12 digs. He had 10 additional digs with five kills against the Hornets.
- Koontz hit double-figures with 10 kills and also reached double-double status with 10 digs against the Mounties. He scored four more kills against Lynchburg.
- Setting up the attack on the day were Sharma and Vincent Natale (Jr., Mt. Airy, Md. / Linganore). Sharma provided 24 total with 17 against Mount Aloysius. Natale added 23 with 13 against the Mounties.
- Defensively Cameron Sterner (So., Spring Grove, Pa. / Spring Grove) had a solid day with 18 digs and hit double-figures against the Mounties with 10.
- Wolfe, Simmons and McCoy all provided multiple blocks on the day with Wolfe leading the way with four. Simmons and McCoy both added three.
Up Next
The Phoenix will return to action a week from today as they participate in another tri. It will be hosted by Elizabethtown and also include St. Vincent.
