(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Xavier Webber (Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) served up a new school record 10 aces as Wilson defeated Penn State Schuylkill on Tuesday evening. The new mark is tied for the third-most in any match this season regardless of division.
The Basics
Scores: Wilson 3, Penn State Schuylkill 0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-7)
Venue: Gannett Memorial Field House
Records: Wilson 4-7, Penn State Schuylkill 0-8
How It Happened
- Ryan Koontz (So., York Haven, Pa. / Red Land) set the tone early as he opened the night with two consecutive kills and added a third shortly after. The Nittany Lions shortly laid claim to the lead at 4-3, but it didn't last long and it was the visitors' only time they were in front the rest of the night. Demetrius Simmons (Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) and Jackson Wolfe (FY, Abbottstown, Pa. / New Oxford) tied the game with a block on the next point before a Schuylkill error put Wilson in front for good. Jacob McCoy (Jr., York, Pa. / Spring Grove) then got his strong offensive night started shortly after with consecutive kills in the middle of a 4-0 run. The Nittany Lions scored a pair to keep close at 9-7 before the Phoenix raced ahead on a 7-0 rally. Webber started his trek to the record books with three aces during that stretch. He added another later to make it 24-14 before Rob Kozicki (Jr., Camp Hill, Pa. / Camp Hill) sent it to the second with a kill.
- The Phoenix got hotter as the night went on and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the middle frame. After some back-and-forth for the next eight points, a 5-0 run allowed Wilson to pull away. McCoy and Wolfe added kills during the stretch. Webber added to his ace total as well. Vincent Natale (Jr., Mt. Airy, Md. / Linganore) and McCoy got in some defensive work late as back-to-back blocks made it 23-12. McCoy and Webber pounded down kills to then make it 2-0 in favor of Wilson.
- Wilson left now doubt in the third. Natale opened the game with a kill off a pass from Koontz on the serve receive before serving a pair of aces himself during the stretch. Koontz added a pair of kills as well before Schuylkill got on the board. The longest run of the night for the Phoenix came with an 11-0 run to make it 22-5. Webber was the catalyst behind it with five during the stretch, three of which came on consecutive plays. After a pair of Nittany Lions points Wilson put the visitors away with the final three points.
Inside The Numbers
- Webber led the team with 13 points on 10 aces and three kills. The 10 aces are the most in match for Wilson regardless of number of sets.
- Up front McCoy paced the team with 11 kills on 19 attempts with just two errors for an attach percentage of .474. He also led the team on the front line defensively with three blocks.
- Natale was the set-up man for the night and finished with 31 assists. He added a pair of blocks and two aces as well.
- Camden Sterner (So., Spring Grove, Pa. / Spring Grove) reached double-figures with 10 digs. It's the sixth time he's done so this season and the fourth time in a three-set match.
- As a team, Wilson hit .348 for the night, the fourth-best average in program history. The Phoenix tallied 34 kills on 66 attempts with just 11 errors.
- Schuylkill was limited to just seven kills on the night. It's a new program record for the Phoenix defense for fewest allowed in a single match besting 10 they allowed against Bryn Athyn in 2022.
- Wilson has now won three of its last four and four of its last six matches.
Up Next
Wilson will close out its five-match home stand on Friday with Randolph. First serve with the WildCats is set for 7 p.m.
