Boxscore

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Highlighted by double-doubles from Katie Dennehy, Kim Stewart, and Jess Chason, the University of Delaware volleyball team earned its sixth win in the squad’s last seven contests after downing William & Mary, 3-1 (25-14, 25-15, 16-25, 25-21), during a Colonial Athletic Association bout at the Kaplan Arena on Saturday night.

The strong performances of the three Blue Hen standouts helped Delaware (13-14, 7-4 CAA) continue its late-season resurgence. After starting the year slow while playing a tough tournament schedule, the Blue Hens have now gone 10-4 since September 23.

Dennehy (at right) finished the match with 18 kills, 11 digs, and two aces. Stewart chipped in with 17 digs and 15 kills, while Chason added 44 assists and 10 digs.

In the beginning of the match, Stewart and Paige Erickson quickly imposed their will on the Tribe, stuffing back-to-back attack attempts to give the team a 2-0 lead. Although William & Mary (17-6, 7-3) eventually tied the set at six, Delaware went on a three-point roll, capped by a block from Dennehy and Elena Delle Donne, to retake a 9-6 advantage.

Eight rallies later, following back-to-back aces by Dennehy, Delaware stretched its lead to 15-9. After the Tribe momentarily broke the Hens’ momentum, Delaware rolled up an imposing 21-12 lead following a pair of kills by Stewart as well as a Greta Gibboney ace.

Four points away from an opening-set victory, Dennehy took control. The sophomore standout picked up all the points the Hens needed as she fired four kills in the last six rallies to clinch the 25-14 win.

In the second set, the two teams battled to a 5-5 tie after Dennehy and Stewart posted early kills before Chason notched a solo block. Once again, in a close contest, Dennehy helped put the game out-of-reach. During the team’s mid-set surge, she fired four kills and was assisted by two each from Stewart, Delle Donne, and Erickson to give Delaware a comfortable 18-11 lead.

With the game nearly in hand, Meghan Bonk sealed the 25-15 victory with three kills and a block in the final moments of the set.

Although William & Mary trailed by two sets, the Tribe looked strong in the third frame, grabbing an early 4-0 lead. After an ace by Kim Mount gave the home team a five-point lead at 6-1, Delaware ripped off three straight following back-to-back kills by Dennehy.

Unfortunately, the rally was not enough to pull the Blue Hens back into the set. A 5-1 William & Mary run eventually gave the Tribe a 14-8 lead. Although a pair of kills by both Dennehy and Erickson allowed the Hens to pull within three at 15-12, the hosts reeled off six straight and nine of the next 10 before posting a 25-16 win.

Sensing an unfortunate case of déjà vu after losing a two-set lead in the first meeting between the two squads, Delaware had no interest in a repeat performance. Knowing first-hand that William & Mary can post late comebacks, the Blue Hens kept the fourth set close from the start.

Early on, the two teams battled to three ties until the Hens went on a three-point run led by a trio of kills from Dennehy, Bonk, and Delle Donne that put Delaware up, 9-6. As would be expected, the Tribe answered with a mid-set resurgence that saw Ginny Bray post three kills and a block to give William & Mary the lead at 14-12.

Relying on the team’s unrelenting attack, the Blue Hens responded. Four kills, including two straight from Delle Donne, helped Delaware retake the lead at 16-15 before the Tribe called a timeout.

Following the break, the late see-saw battle continued as William & Mary won two straight rallies before a kill and block by Delle Donne allowed Delaware to grab a 20-18 advantage.

After the Tribe retied the set at 20, Delaware had enough of the back-and-forth affair. Bonk blasted back-to-back kills and Erickson teamed up with Stewart to stuff a Tribe attack to give the Hens a 23-20 lead. Following another kill by Bray, Stewart quickly sent the Hens home happy, firing two straight kills to clinch the victory at 25-21.

Erickson and Stewart tied for the team lead with four blocks apiece, while Delle Donne added nine kills and three blocks. Steph Barry had a match-high 28 digs.

William & Mary was led by Erin Skipper, who had 18 kills and 14 digs. Ginny Bray also had nine kills and a match-high five blocks.

Delaware will return to action on Friday when the team hosts league-leading Northeastern at 7 p.m.