Women's Volleyball Falls To No. 3 Wittenberg

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – No. 3 Wittenberg women's volleyball team posted a 3-0 win over Penn State Behrend an opening NCAA Division III Regional match on Friday afternoon hosted by Otterbein University.

The Tigers (23-2) recorded a 25-10, 25-17 and 25-11 win over the Lions (19-12) thanks to double-digit kills in each set and hitting .391 as a team to advance to the second round on Saturday.

Maddie Fischer led with nine kills for Wittenberg. Taylor Yontz added 10 digs and Karen Wildeman dished out 31 assists.

For Behrend, Amanda Henry (Bridgeville, PA/South Fayette) knocked down a team-best six kills and Emily Archer (Butler, PA/Butler) added five. Hannah Saunders (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) recorded 17 assists, eight digs, two blocks, two kills and one ace.

With the first set at a 6-all deadlock, Wittenberg rattled off the next seven points for a 13-6 lead that would not relinquish. The Tigers one the next six points out of seven for a 19-7 lead and ended the set on a kill from Wildemann at 25-10.

Behrend could not recover from a quick 5-0 lead by Wittenberg in the second set. The Lions got within three on four occasions, including 17-14. The Tigers only allowed three more points and then relied on a 4-0 spurt at the end, closing once again with a Wildemann kill at 25-17.

Wildemann served nine straight points for Wittenberg in the third set to take a commanding lead at 13-3. Similar to the second set, the Tigers closed out with a 5-0 run and getting the last point on a service ace by Taylor Brown at 25-11.

Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski) finished with four kills.