(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – It was a bittersweet Saturday for the Wilson women's volleyball team as it fell to Penn State Berks in five sets on Senior Night. After trailing two sets to none, the Phoenix rallied to force a fifth frame but were edged out 17-15 in defeat.
Allyson Garcelon (Sr., Shrewsbury, Pa. / Susquehannock) was honored prior to the game and she made her presence felt in a number of ways once the match started as she recorded 11 kills and tied for a team-high five aces.
Even in a tough night for the team, Garcelon stepped up in the spotlight and delivered a performance that underscored her leadership and commitment to the Phoenix.
The Basics
Scores: Wilson 2, Penn State Berks 3 (25-23, 25-15, 20-25, 23-25, 17-15)
Venue: Gannett Memorial Field House
Records: Wilson 0-16, 0-3 UE; Penn State Berks 2-14, 2-1 UE
How It Happened
- It was a game of runs at the start as Berks opened up a 4-0 lead before Wilson answered with the next five and eight of the next nine. Masalyna Miller (FY, Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle-Antrim) made her presence felt as she started the push with a kill and added two aces immediately after. The momentum halted once it was 8-5 and Berks scored the next seven. The Nittany Lions ended up with an 18-12 lead before the Phoenix rallied to make it a one-point game. Kills from Abby Moreland (Jr., Sabillasville, Md. / Catoctin), Garcelon, and Alexis Landis (FY, Parkesburg, Pa. / Octorara) helped make it 21-20. A kill and ace by Moreland later made it 23-22 in favor of Berks before the visitors closed it out with two of the next three points.
- Set Two started out in similar fashion. The first four went to the Nittany Lions before Wilson tied it on kills from Miller, Moreland, Garcelon, and a Miller ace. After Berks went up 7-5, Garcelon and Moreland added kills followed by a Garcelon ace and a Berks error to put Wilson up 9-7. Berks soon caught fire, however, and scored 12 of the next 14 to take control of the set en route to the 2-0 lead.
- Wilson started its incredible comeback attempt in the third and used a 7-0 run to take a 10-6 lead. Garcelon lit the fuse with a kill which was followed by a block from Alison Daniels (So., Lititz, Pa. / Warwick) and Michaela Windisch (Jr., Westminster, Md. / Catoctin). Garcelon then picked up aces on consecutive serves to take the lead. Berks broke the run with two points to make it 10-8, but the Phoenix went right back to work with eight of the next nine points for their largest lead of the night. Berks chipped away at the deficit and eventually closed the gap to four before Daniels sent it to the fourth with a kill.
- The fourth set proved how evenly matched the two teams were. After a 12-all tie, Moreland went on a tear with four kills in a 7-2 run that gave Wilson it's biggest lead of the game. Berks didn't go away quietly and eventually tied the set at 23-all before a Landis Garcelon block and a Daniels kill sent it to the fifth.
- The nail biting continued in the fifth as Wilson took a 10-7 lead after kills from Daniels, Miller, and Moreland. Berks followed with four points to regain the lead, but the Phoenix bounced back with the following three. Berks again tied it up before Miller allowed the Phoenix to serve for the match with a kill. The Nittany Lions scored the next two before Garcelon gave Wilson added life with another kills to make it 15-all. Unfortunately, a kill from Berks and a Wilson error gave the visitors the victory.
Inside The Numbers
- Moreland easily had her best match of the season as she crushed out a career-high 22 kills on 58 attempts for an attack percentage of .259. She was stellar defensively as well with 15 digs for her sixth double-double of the season.
- Garcelon had an incredible night and finished with 11 kills and five aces offensively while she had nine digs and two blocks on the defensive side.
- Miller was another key source of offense with 15 kills and added three aces herself. She picked up eight digs on the receiving end.
- Windisch had a season-high 42 assists on the evening.
- Addie Hebert (Jr., Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg) remained consistent fur the duration with a team-high 22 digs to put her over 200 for the season and 800 for her career.
- The 57 kills in the match easily were a season-high for the Phoenix.
Up Next
The Phoenix are back at home to take on Penn State Brandywine on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
