Franciscan 3, Waynesburg 2
Franciscan Starters
Renee Antonelli, Annika Olsen, Graysen Kraft, Emily Nutter, Caitlin O'Malley,Maria Bosco & libero - Lauren Betar
Waynesburg Starters
Alexis Phillips, Alexys Marsh, Hannah Colvin, Hope Bidelman, Kayla Stohon, Hannah Buhr & libero - Alyson Johnson
How It Happened
The Franciscan Volleyball team rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opponent Waynesburg University 3-2 in a thrilling come back.
After dropping the first set, Franciscan started to find their rhythm in the second set. The Barons trailed for most of the set, but kept pace with the Yellow Jackets, capitalize on a couple of attack errors. Trailing 22-20, Mary Kate Taylor came through with a kill after a long rally to pull the Barons within one. The Barons would force the Yellow Jackets into another hitting error, but still trailed 24-22 needing two straight points to stay alive. The Barons would get the necessary points to send the set into a win by two situation with Setter Emily Nutter executing a well placed dump to tie the game a 24. Nutter had a career night recording 9 kills, 29 assists and 39 digs. The teams would trade the advantage back-and-forth with Waynesburg eventually capturing the 31-29 set victory.
While the Barons dropped the second set, the battle seemed to spark the team entering the third set. Trailing 10-8, the Barons would use one of Renee Antonelli team high 20 kills and a pair of blocks to seize moment and take a 13-10 lead. Waynesburg would answer back with a 7-0 run to take back the lead. Back-to-Back kills from Maria Bosco and Anonelli stopped the run, but the Barons found themselves with their backs against the wall trailing 24-22 and the Yellow Jackets having a pair of chance to close out the game. Antonelli would fend off the first match point, delivering a key kill and a hitting error by the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 24. This time in the win by two situation, the Barons quickly closed the door with Annika Olsen recording a big kill to give Franciscan a 25-24 lead. Olsen and Antonelli would block a Waynesburg attack to close out the set for the Barons.
In the fourth set, Franciscan jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage behind a kill from Olsen and a servicing ace by Antonelli. The lead would swing back-and-forth between the teams with Franciscan winning four straight points behind kills from Graysen Kraft, Olsen, and Antonelli to take an 18-14 lead. The Yellow Jackets would continue to battle back, eventually tying the game at 24, sending the third straight set into a win by two situation. The Barons would fend off a pair of match point attempts by Waynesburg before Taylor secured the set victory with a pair of thunderous kills.
Momentum had swung complete to the Barons and they opened the deciding fifth set on fire, winning the first seven points of the set. Antonelli continued to be key, adding two more kills in the early portion of the set. Waynesburg would close back within four, trailing 12-8, but once again Taylor came up huge, registering two more kills, pushing Franciscan into their first match point attempt of the night. Nutter would execute another well-placed dump, completing the incredible comeback for the Barons.
Inside the Numbers
- The Barons were led in kills by Renee Antonelli who recorded 20 kills and added 15 digs
- Emily Nutter came up one kill short of a triple double, recorded 9 kills, 29 assists, and 39 digs
- Lauren Betar continued to be a stalworth on the defensive back line, recording 22 digs
- Mary Kate Taylor chipped in on the offensive and defenses end recording eight kills and 15 digs
- The Yellow Jackets were led by Mya Brooks who recorded 15 kills
Who's Next?
Franciscan will resume play next Friday when Geneva comes into to town. The Lady Barons are 0-6 all-time against the Golden Tornadoes all-time with their most recent matchup coming last season in 2019. The Lady Barons lost by a score of 3-1 in 2019 at Geneva. Lauren Betar and Renee Antonelli had sixteen digs in the loss. Antonelli added eight kills as well.
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