Babson Park, FL – The Webber International Women's Volleyball team hosted the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans for a SUN Conference clash at Jessica Costanzo Court Wednesday evening. The Warriors and Banyans played each other fiercely, with Webber outlasting New College in five sets, 3-2.
The Warriors were down early in the first set to the Banyans, as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Rylee Bolser and Nadia Reid picked up the first kills for Webber to cut the lead to 9-5. Back-to-back service aces from Luci Marinella made the score 12-9, but the Banyans backed it up quickly, making the lead 17-9. New College of Florida then scored eight of the next 18 points to take set one 25-19.
The first nine points of set two were mired with service errors, but kills from Bolser and Daphne Wibranowski and an ace from Lily Arnold gave the Warriors a 7-5 lead. After the Banyans tied it at 9-9, the Warriors began to pull away, notching five straight points to take a 14-9 lead. The Warriors proceeded to outscore the Banyans 11-10 to take the second set 25-19.
The third set started out tight as well, sitting tied at 5-5 after 10 points. After Webber took a 9-8 lead off of an ace from Marinella, New College scored eight of the next 10 points, giving the Banyans a 16-11 lead. Webber and New College split the next 18 points 9-9, but the Banyans came out on top, 25-20.
With their backs against the wall in set four, the Warriors did not back down. Wibranowski, Delanie Johnson, and Abigail Baxter helped the Warriors with two kills and a service ace respectively to a 3-2 lead. Bolser and Kaylee Hunt scored the next four to take a 7-3 lead. After a timeout, New College rattled off five straight to take an 8-7 lead. With Webber down 11-9, Johnson and Reid both secured kills, while errors from the Banyans put the Warriors ahead two, 14-12. Webber proceeded to outscore New College of Florida 11-5 to take the fourth set 25-18, and force a decisive set five.
The Warriors dominated the beginning of the fifth set, as Baxter served up six straight points to give Webber a 7-1 lead. It was then smooth sailing from there, as Reid and Johnson both picked up multiple kills, with Johnson putting an exclamation point on the game as Webber took the set 15-10 and the game 3-2.
Reid and Johnson led the team in kills, with each reaching 11. Baxter and Marinella had four service aces apiece. Defensively, Bolser led the team with three blocks, while Reid had 18 digs and Baxter had 11.
The Warriors will be back in action on Saturday, October 5th when they travel to Ave Maria, Florida to take on the Ave Maria Gyrenes.
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