Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. - In an incredibly close back-and-forth match, the University of Delaware volleyball team came out on top as the Blue Hens swept Villanova, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-21), in non-conference action on Wednesday night at Viera Court.

Delaware (8-13) was led by a strong offensive effort as the team combined to hit .237 after posting only 12 errors on 118 attack attempts. Katie Dennehy and Kim Stewart (at right) led the way with 11 kills apiece, while Paige Erickson finished with nine kills and a .400 attack percentage.

Stewart also posted a team-high 16 digs for her third career double-double. The star freshman blasted a match-high three aces and added two blocks as well.

With the victory, the Hens snapped their three-match skid against their Main Line rival. It also marked the third straight non-conference home match that Delaware has won after beating UMES and Delaware State in its last two contests.

The match was incredibly close from the outset. Although an ace by Kaela Frizzell gave Villanova (11-10) a two-point lead at 6-4, that marked the largest advantage the Wildcats would hold all set. Although they kept that lead until 12-10, two kills by Dennehy and one each from Erickson and Stewart eventually helped the Hens take control at 14-13.

Two Wildcat errors and another kill by Dennehy allowed Delaware to extend its lead to 17-14 before Villanova called a timeout. Still up by three at 20-17, the Hens could not keep their rivals down for long as the Wildcats won three straight rallies to knot the game at 20.

Unfazed, Stewart broke the tie with a kill and later added an ace to give the Hens set-point at 24-21. Although the Wildcats won two straight rallies, Stewart fired another laser into the ‘Nova defense to give Delaware a one-set lead.

In the second frame, Villanova jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Erickson blasted a kill, notched a block, and took advantage of a Wildcat error to give the Hens a 3-2 edge. Following a horde of one-point swings, Delaware took its first multi-point advantage at 13-11 after Stewart fired her second ace of the match.

Although another seesaw battle broke out that saw Villanova retake a two-point lead at 18-16, Delaware answered. After Dennehy notched a kill, Elena Delle Donne and Cindy Murphy teamed up for a ferocious block that eventually ricocheted off a Wildcat defender and into one of the basketball hoops hanging behind the court.

With the set still tied at 21, Delaware used a Wildcat error and an Erickson block to take a 23-21 lead. Despite a late Villanova rally that saw the visitors retie the set at 24, the Hens effectively utilized a timeout, regrouping in the break before a kill by Dennehy and another ‘Nova miscue gave Delaware a 26-24 victory.

The match remained tight after the intermission with the two squads battling to four ties until Morgan Petkovich notched an ace and Maggie Mergen recorded a kill to give Villanova a 9-7 lead. Still ahead by two at 10-8, the Wildcats could not stop a three-point Hen swing, highlighted by a Steph Barry ace, that gave Delaware an 11-10 lead.

Despite a short Wildcat run that gave the visitors a 14-13 advantage, Delaware used back-to-back kills from Erickson and Dennehy to go back on top. Although Villanova tied it after winning the next rally, the Hens took the next three, capped off by a Delle Donne kill, to grab an 18-15 lead.

The three-point edge proved to be insurmountable as the Wildcats could only pull within one before a trio of late kills from both Delle Donne and Stewart helped the squad seal a 25-21 victory. Fittingly, the four-point victory marked only the second time in the entire match that either team held a lead larger than three.

Delle Donne finished the contest with seven kills and one block, while she led the team with a .429 hitting percentage. Jess Chason also had another strong day, posting a match-high 31 assists to lead the Hens’ unwavering attack.

Villanova was led by Morgan Petkovich and Dana Tartazky, who both finished with 13 kills.

The Blue Hens return to action when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison at 7 p.m. on Friday.