Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. - Led by a phenomenal performance from Katie Dennehy, the University of Delaware volleyball team captured its fourth straight victory with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-14) win over Colonial Athletic Association foe James Madison on Saturday night at Barb Viera Court.

Dennehy (at right) posted a match-high 11 kills on just 18 swings for an incredible .611 attack percentage. Jess Chason also had 26 assists, while Kelly Gibson tied her season-high with four aces. Michelle LaLonde also chipped in with five kills and four blocks.

With bad weather outside the arena causing blackouts all around campus, there seemed to be enough electricity in the Carpenter Sports Building to light up Newark. Although the Blue Hens fell behind early in the first set, the squad rebounded and took control of the match quickly.

Staring at an uncharacteristic 7-3 deficit at the outset, Delaware came back. Dennehy and LaLonde both fired kills before the two teamed up for a block to pull the Hens back within one. After a rocket from Kim Stewart knotted the set at seven, the frame remained deadlocked until 9-9.

After that point, Delaware took seven of the next 11 rallies, highlighted by an ace and kill from Gibson along with a blast and block by Stewart, to grab a 17-13 advantage. Although the Dukes momentarily halted the Hen momentum following a timeout, the hosts ended the set on a roll.

Steph Barry fired an ace to give the squad a 20-15 advantage, and after a Dennehy kill and a JMU miscue handed Delaware a 22-18 edge, Gibson took over. The senior outside hitter stepped to the line and blasted three straight aces to clinch the 25-18 victory.

The Hens looked just as strong in the early part of the second set as a pair of kills by LaLonde and a block and kill from Alker helped the squad secure a 10-3 lead. Following a Duke timeout, the Hens continued their surge. Dennehy fired three more kills and Paige Erickson chipped in with a block and kill on the way to a 20-7 Delaware lead.

Although the James Madison attack found some rhythm at the end of the set, Delaware never lost its stride. Two blasts from Dennehy and three Duke errors allowed the Hens to grab a 25-13 victory.

With a three-set sweep in sight, UD got off to another great start in the third. A horde of James Madison errors along with a blistering ace from Greta Gibboney allowed the Hens to pull out to a 12-3 lead. The Dukes eventually whittled their deficit down to six at 16-10, but that was as close as the squad would come.

A solo block by Dennehy, two kills from Logan Sebastian, and another pair by Alker gave the squad match-point at 24-13. James Madison held off the inevitable for one rally, but LaLonde followed with a shot that clinched the three-set victory with a 25-14 win in the final frame.

Alker finished the match with six kills and three blocks, while Stewart led the way with 10 digs.

James Madison was guided by Kelly Turner, who had 10 kills, and Megan Wiechmann, who tallied a match-high 28 assists. Holly Wall also had 10 digs and six kills for the Dukes.