(LANCASTER, Pa.) – The best season in program history came to a close as Wilson fell to Lancaster Bible in the United East Championship final on Saturday afternoon. Riding a seven-match win streak into the finals, the Phoenix fell to the Chargers in straight sets for the second consecutive year.
Wilson ends the year with the most wins (17) and highest winning percentage (.654) in program history.
The Basics
Scores: No. 2 Wilson 0, No. 1 Lancaster Bible 3 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20)
Venue: Horst Athletic Center
Records: Wilson 17-9, Lancaster Bible 17-11
How It Happened
- LBC had the early advantage with an 8-3 start to force the Phoenix to come from behind. Jackson Wolfe (Abbottstown, Pa. / New Oxford) sparked some momentum by striking down a kill and pairing with Demetrius Simmons (Sr., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) for a block to help the Phoenix close back to within two. Kills by Wolfe and Scotty Zorn (York, Pa. / Dallastown) later made it 13-11. The Chargers went on a small run, but Wilson was able to equal a 4-0 stretch to stay within two thanks to Wolfe adding two more kills and another block with Simmons. It was the closest they could get, however, as Lancaster Bible kept them at arm's length for the first set win.
- The Chargers jumped out to another early lead and went up 13-6 to open the second. With the game at 16-9, Wilson went on its best stretch of the match with a 9-2 run to tie the frame at 18-all. Ryan Koontz (York Haven, Pa. / Red Land) added an early kill during the run before Wolfe and Zorn put down kills on the latter part of the run. Simmons was strong defensively with a pair of blocks in the stretch. Unfortunately for the Blue and White, the Chargers answered with their best stretch on a 7-0 run to take Set 2.
- The third started in similar fashion to the first, but once again Wilson didn't go down easily. A late charge saw the Phoenix pull within two after Jacob McCoy (York, Pa. / Spring Grove) sparked a 4-0 rally with kills from Wolfe and Zorn to make it 22-20. That would be the closest Wilson got as the Chargers took advantage of an error, blocked a Phoenix attack, and added a kill to end the match.
Inside The Numbers
- Wolfe led the offense with 11 kills while hitting .333. The lengthy sophomore was defensively sound with four blocks and six digs as well.
- Simmons joined Wolfe with four blocks.
- On the back line Satvik Sharma (Hummelstown, Pa. / Hershey) paced the team with seven digs. He also set up the attack with 21 assists.
- The defeat snapped Wilson's seven match win streak. During that stretch they also set a new program record with 21 consecutive sets won.
