Babson Park, FL – The Webber International Women's Volleyball team hosted the Keiser Seahawks on Saturday afternoon for a matinee match. A close match the entire time, after five sets, the Warriors came out on top of the Seahawks 3-2 for the Warriors first victory over Keiser since 2018.
The first set started out with an early Seahawk lead, 4-2. Kaylee Hunt began her stellar afternoon with back-to-back kills for the Warriors next two points. Rylee Bolser and Nadia Reid helped to tie the game at 7-7, before a service ace from Lily Arnold gave the Warriors the lead. The Warriors were able to keep a tight lead, as a kill from Bolser made it 15-14 in favor of Webber. The Seahawks were able to retake the lead however, and held it for the rest of the set, winning set one 25-22.
Delanie Johnson, Bolser and Hunt scored the first three points for Webber in the second set. Kills from Cintia Lorena, Reid, and Bolser tied it at 6-6. Webber began to pull away after, taking a 15-12 lead after back-to-back errors from the Seahawks. The Warriors were able to maintain this lead for the rest of the set, with Reid, Johnson, and Bolser accounting for eight kills over the final 10 points needed for Webber, with the set ending 25-21.
The third set was one to forget for the Warriors, as the Seahawks went ahead early and flew away with it. Webber kept it close in the beginning, tying it after an error by Keiser at 4-4. The Seahawks then proceeded to score nine of the next 11 points to take a 13-6 lead. Savanna Wilhite and Hunt helped keep the Warriors in it, getting as close as two points down at 17-15, but Keiser would end the set on an eight-point run to take set three 25-15.
Wilhite and Johnson went on a three-point swing in the fourth set, giving Webber a 3-2 lead. The Warriors maintained a slim lead over the Seahawks, as a kill from Johnson kept their lead at two points, 14-12. After the Seahawks tied it, both teams went back and forth as Lorena picked up two more kills. With the set tied at 17-17, Webber proceeded to outscore Keiser 8-3 to take set four 25-20, forcing the decisive set five.
Neither team was able to pull ahead of the other in set five, as each point was met with a counter by the other team. There were five ties at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4. 5-5, and 6-6, before the Warriors took the lead for the last time and kept it. Three straight errors and a kill from Reid gave the Warriors a 9-6 lead. Multiple errors as well as kills from Johnson and Hunt put an exclamation point on the afternoon as the Warriors took set five 15-12.
After the game, Head Coach Justin Dee was emphatically proud of his team and the work they've put in this season.
"What a win! It is a great win for our entire program and university. Cintia came in and hit near .500 while Kaylee was crushing the ball offensively. Abby Baxter continues to amaze with her defensive reading and digs. Baxter was everywhere! Nadia continues to impress with another double-double in digs and kills. Just a great overall effort. It sets us up perfectly to where we want to be. Our goal is to win conference. In order to win, we have to be in the conference final. Keiser came in Receiving votes nationally and ranked 2nd in the Sun Conference. We have made the jump and have solidified our seat at the table. It's a great day to be a Warrior! Go Warriors!"
The Warriors will be back in action on Saturday, September 21st when they travel to Miami Gardens to take on the Florida Memorial Lions.
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Warrior Athletics. Please visit www.webberathletics.com. Follow us on Twitter- @WebberAthletics, Instagram- @Webber_Athletics, and Facebook by searching Webber International University Athletics.
