LAKE WALES, Fla. (October 17, 2022) - The Webber International University women's volleyball team traveled across the lake to take on its Crooked Lake rivals, Warner University, for the first time this season on Monday night. The Warriors earned the 3-1 (16-25, 25-13, 25-18, 28-26) victory for win number 13 on the season, matching last season's total with seven matches still to play.

The Warriors (13-9 overall, 3-4 SUN) finished the match with a .237 hitting percentage while holding the Royals (3-14, 0-6) to just .099 percent.

A slow start offensively plagued Webber for most of the first set, falling behind 9-6 early on. The Royals began pulling away little by little and leading 18-13, scored four-straight to extend the lead yet further to 22-13. Warner saw out the remaining three points to take the first set 25-16. That is the only set they would win, however, as the Warriors found their footing offensively.

Despite trailing 4-1 to begin the second set, Webber then went on a 8-1 to take the lead at 9-5. The Royals scored two in a row before the Warriors went on a 7-0 run that included two kills from Savannah Wilhite and one from Nadia Reid. After a service error, two more kills from Wilhite and Reid followed by an attacking error from Warner saw the lead extend to a commanding 11 points at 19-8. The Warriors held advantage, 24-13 before a kill by Bailey Sikkema sealed the set two victory.

The Royals led by as many as five in the third set at 15-10. An 8-2 run by the Warriors handed them the lead, 18-17. Warner scored to tie the set at 18, but a 7-0 run to end the set by the Warriors gave them the win and the 2-1 lead.

The Warriors held a slight 3-2 lead over the Royals before a 7-0 run saw them fall behind 9-3. Warner continued to increase that lead to 10 at 15-5 and looked to be in firm control of the set. A kill by Tanasha Cooksey would kick-start an 11-2 run, cutting the deficit from 10 points to just one at 17-16. The two teams would trade blows until three-straight points from the Royals gave them set-advantage, 24-20. Webber was down but not out as it battled back, scoring five in a row to take a 25-24 lead. Tied at 26, a kill from Teodora Ranitovic followed by an attacking error from Warner ended the set 28-26 and the match 3-1.

Sikkema led the team with seven kills while four other Warriors ended with six including Reid, Ranitovic, Wilhite, and Alexis Turner. They were followed closely by Cintia Lorena who ended with five on the night. Setters Amanda Vega and Paysee Crow dished out the assists with 17 and 14 respectively. Vega also tallied a game-high 10 digs to earn her sixth double-double of the season. Bailey Berger ended the match with seven digs followed by Gabriela Lopez with six. Ranitovic led the Warriors yet again in blocks with four total for the match while Sikkema and Wilhite each had two.

Webber now travels to the College of Coastal Georgia for a mid-week matchup on Wednesday, October 19th at 7 p.m. before back-to-back matches on Saturday against Keiser University and St. Thomas on Sunday.