NEWARK, Del. – Before a packed house at Viera Court, the University of Delaware volleyball team picked up its first win of the season after downing New Hampshire, 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 25-15, 19-25, 15-9), on the first day of the Delaware Invitational on Friday night.

Prior to the match, the Blue Hens unveiled championships banners honoring the accomplishments of the 2007 team that captured the program’s first Colonial Athletic Association title and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With the program’s past honors hanging from the rafters, the team’s future was on full display on the court.

Sophomore Paige Erickson (at right) had a phenomenal match, posting 11 kills, nine blocks, and four aces. Fellow second-year standouts Katie Dennehy and Jess Chason also notched double-doubles for Delaware (1-3). Dennehy recorded 16 digs and 11 kills, while Chason had 35 assists and 12 digs.

After Delaware tied the match at one game apiece, the Blue Hens came out and played their best ball of the season in the third set. Behind a host of blocks, Delaware rolled to a 25-15 victory in the third frame.

The Hens started quickly in the set, grabbing a 10-5 lead which was highlighted by Kim Stewart’s first career kill. Still up by five at 12-7, Delaware used an incredible performance by Erickson to grab a commanding lead. On three straight rallies, the Hens’ star middle hitter posted a block, teaming with Elena Delle Donne twice and Meghan Bonk once.

Now leading by eight at 15-7, the squad cruised to a 10-point victory. In the waning moments of the set, the team posted two more blocks, including a fourth by Erickson and another by Chason and Michelle LaLonde.

Leading two games to one, Delaware hit a skid in the fourth frame. Although the Hens held several early leads, the team never was in command after their final advantage at 6-5. New Hampshire (1-3) reeled of three straight points and eight of the next 10 before Delaware called a timeout, trailing 13-8.

Although the team whittled its deficit down to four at 15-11 following an Erickson ace, Delaware could never quite complete the comeback. After a later rally that included three straight kills by Delle Donne, Stewart, and Dennehy, the Hens pulled within three at 21-18. They would get no closer, however, as the Wildcats went on a 4-1 run to cap the set at 25-19.

In the final frame, Delaware jumped out fast, grabbing a 5-1 lead after Erickson and Bonk posted a block while Stewart drilled an ace.

Down early, New Hampshire could never quite chip away at the deficit, only pulling within three at 10-7 following a three-point run. Fittingly, the Hens snapped the streak with another block as Delle Donne and LaLonde stuffed a Wildcat attack.

Up 11-7, the Blue Hens took four of the last six points to pull out the 15-9 victory. The Hens last run was highlighted by two kills from Chason. She eventually finished the match with five, marking the most kills by a Delaware setter since Megan Welch also had five against George Mason on October 14, 2006.

Former Ursuline teammates Bonk and Delle Donne also had the finest matches of their careers thus far. Bonk finished with six kills, four blocks and an ace, while Delle Donne had six kills and five blocks.

Junior captain Michelle LaLonde also had a strong day, finishing third on the squad with seven kills while also adding four blocks. Steph Barry posted a team-high 26 digs as well.

In the first set, the two teams battled to a 7-7 tie before New Hampshire ran off seven straight points to grab a convincing lead. Although Delaware came back with three of the next five points, buoyed by two Wildcat service errors, the Hens could not pull any closer than five at 15-10.

New Hampshire eventually took 10 of the last 15 rallies to post a 25-15 victory.

Delaware rebounded in the second set after the two teams once again fought to an early 7-7 deadlock. With the game still tied at 13 apiece, the Blue Hens found their groove. The team reeled off four straight points, capped by a kill from DelleDonne.

Trailing 17-13, New Hampshire mounted a comeback, grabbing six of the next eight points to retie the set at 19. Back-to-back kills by Bonk and Erickson gave the Hens a two-point lead, while Erickson later added an ace before LaLonde clinched a 25-21 victory with her second kill of the set.

In earlier action, Michigan State cruised to a 3-0 victory over Syracuse in the first match of the Tournament. Becca Zlabis led the Spartans with 12 kills, while Jenilee Rathje chipped in with 11.

Delaware will be back in action tomorrow when the Hens face Syracuse at 1 p.m. before they cap the Tournament with a showdown against Michigan State at 7 p.m.

Delaware - New Hampshire Boxscore

Michigan State - Syracuse Boxscore