VILLANOVA,PA-The Villanova Wildcats earned their first win of the season against the Rider Broncs in four sets. With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-1 while the Broncs drop to 0-3.
Throughout the first set, both teams traded leads until the Wildcats had a crucial 6-0 run to go up 18-12. During that run,
Kiera Booth registered three kills. The Broncs were unable to overcome the
defict and Villanova earned a 25-18 set win.
Riley Homer led the team with six kills and
Belle Morgan set up 12 assists.
The Wildcats continued their momentum in the second set and grabbed a 9-5 lead highlighted by two kills apiece from
Clare Delaplane and Homer. Villanova would not relinquish the lead and won the second set, 25-18. During the set, Freshman
Elizabeth Feczko earned her first point as a Wildcat with a service ace. Through two sets, Homer led the Wildcats with eight kills, Morgan dished out 21 assists and
Averi Salvador tallied eight digs.
Facing a possible three-set sweep, the Broncs battled in the third set. Both teams were tied in points nine times throughout the set. Down 18-14, Villanova went on a 7-1 run powered by kills from Booth,
Rose Crist and Homer. A service ace from
Belle Morgan gave the Wildcats a 20-19 lead. Facing match point at 24-23, Rider scored three consecutive points fueled by a kill from Morgan Romano and a pair of Villanova attack errors for a 26-24 set win. Homer led the way with four kills and four digs.
The Wildcats and Broncs traded blows in the fourth set. There was never a lead larger than five points throughout the fourth set. With the set tied at 21, the Wildcats went on a 4-2 run and a kill from Delaplane cemented the match with a 25-23 set win. Delaplane led the attack with eight kills and Morgan dished out 11 assists.
"It's good to get on the board with a win," Villanova Volleyball Head Coach
Josh Steinbach said. "Rider plays hard and they're a good team who knows how to win."
Overall, Homer led Villanova's attack with 16 kills, five shy of her career-high 21 against Providence in the 2020 season.
"I thought Riley is really coming along offensively and had a good match which was really what we needed today," Steinbach said.
Delaplane recorded 13 kills and Morgan led all with 43 assists. Booth swatted away four blocks and Salvador led the squad with 13 digs.The Wildcats take on Delaware at the Finneran Pavilion at 6:00 p.m. Saturday in the final match of their weekend slate.
