BROCKPORT, N.Y – The Baldwin Wallace University volleyball team (9-1 overall) competed in the Golden Eagle Invitational over the weekend, hosted by The Brockport Eagles, and went undefeated, only losing one set.
Potsdam St. (N.Y) vs. Baldwin Wallace
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to an early lead in set one and never relented as sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Reinhard (Willoughby / South) sealed the final point with a service ace. Freshman outside hitter Ivy Earl (Howell) played great offensively for BW totaling 11 kills of the Yellow Jackets 45 for the match.
The second set went back and forth, until point ten for BW, as they went on a 15-4 spurt to close out the set. The final point came off the hand of freshman outside hitter Cecelia Stebel (Union / Northmont) from former BW Offensive Player-of-the-Year, senior setter Ashley Nuding (Perrysburg / Springfield). Sophomore middle hitter Allison May (Louisville / St. Thomas Aquinas) played like a wall for BW in the match, posting four assisted blocks.
Set three was won by Frostburg St. on a kill by the bears. BW did not waver at all in the fourth set as they claimed an early three to nothing lead and then a seven point service run from Reinhard would be enough as the Yellow Jackets held the lead until the final kill from senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference honorable mention Alicia Lortcher (Norwalk).
Cazenovia (N.Y) vs. Baldwin Wallace
The Yellow Jackets defense was a tough unit to score on in match two of The Golden Eagle Invitational as 14 was the most points they allowed against the Wildcats of Cazenovia. Sophomore defensive specialist Emily Moser (Durham, N.C. / Cardinal Gibbons) was the key defensively as she led BW with ten digs. Set one as it was all BW from beginning to end, supported by a four point service run by sophomore utility player Alexis Garrett (Mentor) in the middle of the set.
BW took set two, 25-14 off an attack error by the Wildcats. Sophomore setter assisted on 14 kills for BW in the match, including five in set three. The final set was sealed on a service ace from Moser.
Frostburg St. (Md.) vs. Baldwin Wallace
The first set of the Frostburg match was close but an 11-4 run by the Yellow Jackets would prove to be enough as BW took set one 25-12, off a kill from Earl, assisted by 2017's Greyhound Invitational MVP, sophomore setter Kathleen Egan (Cleveland / Beaumont). Earl played great offensively for BW, leading the Yellow Jackets in kills with 10.
The second set began with a six to one run from the Yellow Jackets. That lead did not last long as Frostburg St. tied the game back up at six. A kill from sophomore middle hitter Taylor Brown (Maple Heights) sparked a five point service run by Brown brought the score to 11-6 and a lead that lasted until the end of the set. BW closed out the set with a final of 25-14.
The third and final set started with an 8-2 run for BW. The Bobcats of Frostburg St. diminished the lead to one but a five point service run from Reinhard would give BW a six point lead halfway through the set. That run proved insurmountable as BW scored the final point of the set off the hand of Earl, assisted by Egan. Two Yellow Jackets, Lortcher and Reinhard, were in double figure digs with 14 and 16 respectively.
Brockport (N.Y) vs. Baldwin Wallace
An early service run from Brown gave BW a four point lead and the Yellow Jackets did not look back in set one, and closing out the set was Egan off a service ace. Reinhard lead the Yellow Jackets defensively with 13 of BW's 47 digs.
Set two started off neck and neck until a late service run from Egan propelled BW to a victory over host Brockport. The final point was delivered by freshman Earl and assisted by Egan. BW jumped out to an early lead in set three but the Eagles did not quit easily as they established a lead halfway through the set. Another kill from Earl from Egan tied the set up at 15 and Brockport was able to shrink the lead down to one but couldn't resurface as the Yellow Jackets closed out the set, 25-22 off a kill from Garrett.
BW went undefeated in The Golden Eagle Invitational and will be in action again this Friday and Saturday as they travel to Nazareth College in Rochester New York for a four-game tournament. First matches will be served up at 4pm and 6pm on Friday and 11am and 3pm on Saturday.
