BABSON PARK, Fla. (August 14, 2021) - The 2021 season opener for the Webber International University women's volleyball team resulted in a 3-1 (25-10, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23) victory for the Warriors at home against the Florida College Falcons.
 
The win gives Webber (1-0 overall) its first win of the season and breaks a three-match losing streak for the Warriors against Florida College (0-1) dating back to 2019. It was also the first career win for new Head Coach Matt Geer leading the program.
 
Webber started off its new season with a great first set, breaking out to a 16-4 lead while holding the Falcons to only 10 points in the set. Webber hit .267 percent in the frame while working to limit the Falcons to only one kill and a -.526 percentage.
 
The second set and the rest of the match, however, would be a more back-and-forth affair as each of the remaining three sets were decided by three points or less.
 
The Warriors would have the lead 19-18 late in the second set before allowing the Falcons to score six straight points to give Florida College the 24-19 lead.
 
Then in the third set, Webber again trailed late, this time at 22-19, but was able to rally in a big way with a 6-0 run of its own to steal the set and take a 2-1 set lead.
 
Down 22-21 in the fourth set, the Warriors again came from behind to win it as a kill by Bailey Sikkema followed by back-to-back service aces by Kiersten Tisdale made it 24-22 Webber. Another kill by Sikkema two points later gave the home team its big win on opening day.
 
Webber was led offensively by Sikkema with 11 kills followed by Nadia Reid and Savanna Wilhite both with nine and Yanileb Figueroa with eight. Wilhite, a freshman middle blocker from Melbourne, Florida, also finished with a very effective .364 attack percentage.
 
Amanda Vega had a standout performance with 33 assists and 11 digs on the day for a season-opening double-double.
 
Defensively, another freshman middle blocker, Tanasha Cooksey, made her presence felt with five assisted blocks. Last but not least, Tisdale would finish with a match-high 14 digs.

"I'm elated at how we performed as a cohesive unit today," spoke Geer. "The team played light and relaxed and that mentality is when they perform their best. Amanda [Vega] did a great job connecting with all of our attackers and our reception was steady in our first match of the season. I'm excited to see this team progress together throughout the season."
 
Next up for the Warriors will be a doubleheader against No.13 nationally-ranked Viterbo University in two days on Monday, August 16, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Following that, Webber will travel to West Palm Beach, Florida, to participate in the Keiser Volleyball Invitational on Thursday, August 19, as they match up against Indiana University East and Taylor University.