Babson Park, FL – The Webber International Women's Volleyball team honored six seniors Saturday afternoon in the final SUN Conference matchup of the regular season against the Ave Maria Gyrenes. The Warriors battled tough after winning the first set, but ultimately fell in four sets, 3-1.
Luci Marinella started the game with the ball in her hands, serving the first four points for the Warriors, including kills from Delanie Johnson and Kaylee Hunt, as well as a service ace. Johnson and Savanna Wilhite secured a combo block before a kill from Nadia Reid. Two more kills from Reid and one from Cintia Lorena put Webber up 11-7. After two points form the Gyrenes, Webber scored four straight again, with two kills from Lily Arnold highlighting the run. Wilhite, Johnson, Lorena, Rylee Bolser, and Arnold secured the final kills for the Warriors with Reid serving up two aces as well as the Warriors took set one 25-19.
Ave Maria started set two on a 5-1 run, with a kill from Johnson representing the point for Webber. Wilhite and Bolser helped close the gap, making it 8-7. The Warriors took the lead in the second set twice, with kills from Reid, Johnson, and Arnold, as well as a block from Johnson and Wilhite. Webber took one more lead in the second, on another four point swing, with kills from Lorena, Abby Leonard, Wilhite, as well as an ace from Marinella to make it 21-20. The Warriors only got two more points as they dropped the second set 25-23.
Webber jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the third set, with kills from Johnson, Wilhite, and Reid, as well as an ace for Arnold. Reid and Arnold both had kills to keep the Warriors in it at 7-7. Leonard, Johnson, Wilhite, Lorena, and Reid helped the Warriors keep pace, tying the game at 21-21 after another kill from Reid. Webber would not regain the lead, dropping set three 25-23.
The Gyrenes started the fourth set up 5-1. Johnson, Bolser, and Reid helped the Warriors overcome that deficit, taking an 8-7 lead. A kill from Arnold and an ace from Bolser gave Webber a 10-8 lead. The Warriors lost their lead, but Arnold, Reid, Bolser, Marinella, and Lorena all had kills to keep Webber down one, 18-17. Arnold had four straight kills, while one from Johnson was the final point for the Warriors as they dropped set four 25-22, and the match 3-1.
Johnson led the team with 14 kills, while Arnold had 12 and Reid had 10. Marinella led the team with 29 assists, while Leonard dropped 21. Baxter led the team with 26 digs, while Reid had 15.
The Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday, November 12th when they travel to Sarasota, Florida to take on the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans for the first round of the SUN Conference Tournament.
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