GLENSIDE, PA – The Rowan University volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday, winning 3-0 over University of Valley Forge and falling to Arcadia University, 3-2.
Match One vs. University of Valley Forge: 3-0 (25-10, 25-5, 25-11)
The Brown and Gold started hot, as it jumped out to an early 6-1 advantage in the first set. Outside hitter
Kailey Gallagher (jr. Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and outside hitter
Megan Jacobi (jr. Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area) tallied two kills each, while middle hitter
Jamie Shirtz (sr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham) recorded one. Rowan got the offensive pace rolling as it doubled the lead to 18-9. Set one was closed out 25-10 when outside hitter
Alexa Gasser (so. Broomall, PA/Villa Maria Academy) notched a kill and opposite hitter
Maura Francis (jr. Philadelphia, PA/St. Basil Academy) served an ace.
The Profs dominated set two, winning by a final score of 25-5. After Valley Forge earned the first point, Rowan scored four straight with three aces from outside hitter
Natalie Ogden (fr. Downingtown, PA/Bishop Shanahan). The Brown and Gold was in complete control of the second set, as the defense limited the Patriots to nine total attacks and one kill.
Rowan jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the final set. Middle hitter
Lauren Horbacewicz (so. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) started the run with back-to-back kills, followed by three aces from Ogden. Outside hitter
Olivia Clinkscale (fr. Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and Gasser notched the final two points of the rally. Valley Forge fought back to cut the deficit to 16-10. The Profs buckled down and closed out their first match on the day, 25-11.
Rowan finished with a .303 team hitting percentage and only allowed seven kills by the Patriots. Clinkscale had a team-high six kills, followed by Gallagher and Gasser with five apiece. Setter
Tori Mock (so. Chadds Ford, PA/Archmere Academy) and setter
Alaina Santacroce (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) handed out a total of 29 assists.
Match Two vs. Arcadia University: 2-3 (21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 13-15)
Rowan dropped the first set late, 25-21 before bouncing back and claiming the next. The Profs jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage after libero
Emma Cormican (so. Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven) recorded a point, an Arcadia error and a kill from Jacobi. The teams kept the score close, before the Brown and Gold pulled ahead, 17-13. Rowan maintained the lead to close out the second set, 25-20.
It was a stalemate early on in the third set, as the score was tied at eight. Rowan took an 11-8 lead after Horbacewicz, Shirtz and Gasser all smashed down kills. The Profs extended their advantage to 19-14, on a three-point swing. After a Knights error, outside hitter
Erin Keegan added a point, followed by a block from Horbacewicz and Gasser. Arcadia gave one last final push to claim the lead, but the Brown and Gold took set three, 25-19.
Rowan fell in set four, 25-17 to force a fifth. Both teams traded points back-and-forth in the last stanza, before Arcadia took a 7-5 lead when outside hitter Lauren Einfield (so. Red Lion, PA/Red Lion Area) and outside hitter Lizzie Joseph (sr. Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) notched back-to-back kills. The Profs fought back to take a 12-11 advantage after Horbacewicz tallied a point and the Knights had an error. Rowan slipped as Arcadia scored the next three points to pull ahead, 14-13. After a kill from Jacobi, Rowan lost as Einfield notched the final kill to win, 15-13.
Jacobi led the offense with 15 kills on a .406 hitting percentage. Cormican amassed 21 digs, while defensive specialist
Kristin Akin (sr. Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) added 15.
Due to her outstanding play Cormican was named to the All-Tournament team.
Rowan travels back home to face conference opponent Kean University on Tuesday, Oct. 2, with the match starting at 7 p.m.
