ROCHESTER, New York – The Baldwin Wallace University women's volleyball team (13-1 overall) competed in the Golden Flyer Invitational over the weekend, hosted by Nazareth (N.Y) College. The Yellow Jackets overall played well, claiming victories in all four matches over the weekend.
BW vs. Nazareth (N.Y) College
The first match of the Golden Flyer Invitational pinned host Nazareth College against the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore middle hitter Taylor Brown (Maple Heights) led BW offensively with 10 of the Yellow Jackets 38 kills. An early lead gave BW the advantage they needed as both teams battled and exchanged points for the whole set. Freshman outside hitter Mary Zurbrugg (Alliance) sealed the set with a kill, assisted by senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference honorable mention and Academic All-OAC selection, Alicia Lortcher (Norwalk).
The second set was neck and neck all the way to the final point, with thirteen ties and six lead changes from the two squads. A kill from last year's Greyhound Invitational MVP, sophomore Kathleen Egan (Cleveland/Beaumont) gave the Yellow Jackets 25 and a one point lead late in the set. BW would seal the set at 27-25 after a service error and an attack error by the Golden Flyers.
Three different Yellow Jackets were in double figures defensively with digs. All-Tournament at the 2018 Greyhound Invitational, sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Reinhard (Willoughby/South) led the way with 15 digs. Lortcher dug 11 attacks from Nazareth and BW's Offensive Player of the Year in 2015, senior setter Ashley Nuding (Perrysburg/Springfield) had 10 digs of her own. The third set was close for half of the set until freshman defensive specialist Morgan Martin (Seven Hills/Trinity) provided BW with a five point service run. That lead proved to be enough as the Yellow Jackets cruised to a 25-12 victory.
BW vs. Keuka (N.Y.) College
The Yellow Jackets faced the Wolves of Keuka College in their second match at the Golden Flyer Invitational to close out Friday. The kills were evenly spread throughout the team with Nuding leading in the assist column with 24. BW stayed focus in their first set against the Wolves as they established an early lead and never looked back. The final point came off the hand of freshman utility player, Delilah Clinton (Mentor/Lake Catholic), assisted by Egan.
The second set was much of the same as the Yellow Jackets grabbed and early lead and never relented. In the second set the Yellow Jackets amassed their most kills in the match with 19. Reinhard led BW defensively with 15 of the Yellow Jacket's 42 digs. The final point was earned by sophomore middle hitter Jessica Whitehead (Wyoming, Mich./Wyoming), assisted by Egan, for a final of 25-13.
The third set was the most efficient for the Yellow Jackets as the hitting percentage peaked at .588. The defense for BW was at their best in the third set, only allowing nine points. Four different Yellow Jackets tallied a solo block for the match. The Yellow Jackets began the match with a 16-1 run, and closed out the match off a bad set by the Wolves, with a score of 25-9.
BW vs. St. John Fisher (N.Y) College
BW started the Saturday portion of the Golden Flyer Invitational with a match against St. John Fisher College. Senior Lortcher led the charge offensively with 15 of BW's 48 kills. The two teams went back and forth in set one, with BW falling to a five point deficit late in the set. The Yellow Jackets tied it up at 23 with a kill from sophomore utility player Alexis Garrett (Mentor), assisted by Nuding. BW did not capitalize as St. John Fisher finished the set with a score of 25-23.
Two Yellow Jackets had double figure digs, Reinhard and freshman All-OAC Player of the Week, Ivy Earl (Howell) earned 19 and 14 digs, respectively in the match. BW bounced back in set two, battling the Cardinals point for point. The final point came off the hand of sophomore setter Sam Pruett (Bolivar/Tuscarawas Valley), assisted by Egan, for a 25-21 final.
BW established a seven point lead early in set three off a seven point service run from sophomore defensive specialist Morgan Martin (Seven Hills/Trinity). BW did not relent as they cruised to a 25-13 victory in set three. The Yellow Jackets were great defensively tallying 14 assisted blocks in the match.
The fourth and final set was back and forth until another service run from Martin, worth six points, gave BW a late nine point lead. Lortcher cemented the final set with a kill, assisted by Egan, for a 25-14 final. Egan set up the BW offense in the match, accumulating 23 assists for the match.
BW vs. Medaille (N.Y.) College
BW was led defensively by Reinhard, as she accumulated 16 of the Yellow Jackets 42 digs in the fourth match at the Golden Flyer Invitational. BW established an early lead and remained on top for the entire set. A seven point service run from Lortcher in the late stages, gave BW the run they needed to close it out, 25-13.
A hitting percentage of .579 was the highest of all three sets in the match against the Mavericks. The Yellow Jackets started the second set with a 5-1 spurt and grew that lead over the entirety of the set. The final kill was off the hand of Zurbrugg, assisted by Nuding, for a final of 25-10.
The Mavericks took a four point lead early in set three, but a service ace from Nuding tied the score at 10. That tying point was part of a six point service run that eventually propelled the Yellow Jackets to a third set victory. BW finished the set with a 25-20 final as the kills were spread evenly throughout the team.
The Yellow Jackets will inaugurate the home portion of their season on Monday, the 17th as they host the Lions of Penn St. Behrend. Game time is set to be served at 7pm.
