GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University women's volleyball team dropped its penultimate match of the regular season on Saturday, falling to Misericordia in four sets at Alumni Gymnasium. The Knights (20-6, 4-3 MAC Freedom) dropped the first two sets, 25-18 and 25-22, before responding with a 25-21 victory in the third. Misericordia secured the match with a 25-22 win in the fourth set.
Arcadia hit .071 for the match, while the Cougars posted a .195 hitting percentage. Raegan Oursler led the Knights with 13 kills, while Alliy Kulas and Katie Levin each recorded three service aces. Chana Rothschild led the team with three blocks, Kaitlyn Small dished out 21 assists, and Avery Bell recorded a team-high 16 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 18
- The Cougars jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before the Knights responded with a 3-0 run capped by a kill from Bryana Saenz. Misericordia answered with a 3-0 run of its own before Arcadia put together a 2-0 stretch, highlighted by a block from Keer and Young.
- Kills from Keer, Young, and Oursler brought the Knights within one at 9-8. However, the Cougars followed with a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 14-8. Bell added a service ace to cut the deficit to 14-10.
- Trailing 17-10, Arcadia rallied with a 7-0 run to even the set at 17-17. Oursler recorded three kills during the stretch, while Rothschild added a kill and Saenz contributed two service aces.
- Despite a late kill from Rothschild, Misericordia closed the set with an 8-1 run to take the opening frame, 25-18.
SET TWO: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 22
- Back-to-back solo blocks from Rothschild opened the second set. Kills from Young and Small helped cut the Cougars' lead to 11-8.
- The Knights capitalized on Misericordia miscues before a block from Rothschild and Mia Beckett tied the set at 13-13. Arcadia then regained the lead following a service ace from Rothschild and a kill from Beckett.
- Young, Oursler, and Rothschild added late kills as the Knights attempted to complete the comeback, but Misericordia held on for a 25-22 set victory.
SET THREE: Arcadia 25 – Misericordia 21
- Levin and Kulas opened the third set with service aces, while a kill from Young helped the Knights build an early 5-1 advantage. Kills from Oursler and Rothschild extended the lead to 9-6.
- Young and Oursler added kills before Arcadia put together a 4-0 run that included another kill from Rothschild.
- Additional kills from Rothschild and Young capped a 3-0 stretch to give the Knights a 21-17 lead. Keer added a kill before Oursler recorded the final two kills to secure the 25-21 set win.
SET FOUR: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 22
- Beckett and Young recorded early kills for the Knights, while additional points from Young and a service ace from Kulas helped Arcadia keep pace. Oursler tied the set at 5-5 with a kill, and Rothschild followed with another kill to even the score at 6-6.
- Rothschild's kill came amid an 8-2 Misericordia run that gave the Cougars a 14-8 advantage. The teams then traded 3-0 runs, with Young recording a kill and Levin adding back-to-back service aces for the Knights.
- Two kills from Oursler cut the deficit to 19-14 before Arcadia put together a 4-0 run to pull within 20-18. Despite a kill from Beckett and another service ace from Kulas, Misericordia closed out the set, 25-22, to secure the match.
KNIGHT LEADERS
Kills: Oursler (13), Rothschild (10), Young (10)
Aces: Kulas (3), Levin (3), Saenz (2)
Blocks: Rothschild (3), Young (1), Keer (1)
Assists: Small (21), Saenz (13), Bell (2)
Digs: Bell (16), Oursler (8), Saenz (6)
UP NEXT
The Knights close out the regular season on Wednesday, traveling to FDU-Florham for a 7 p.m. matchup. Arcadia has already clinched a spot in the MAC Freedom playoffs and will determine its postseason seeding following the final day of regular-season play.
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