Volleyball swept for fifth straight match
The Waynesburg University volleyball team was in action Wednesday, Sept. 7, for its first Presidents’ Athletic Conference game of the 2016 season. The Yellow Jackets (0-5, 0-1) dropped the match after losing in three consecutive sets to the Grove City College Wolverines (2-3, 1-0).
The weekend before, the Yellow Jackets opened their season up at the Anderson University Tournament in Anderson, Indiana, losing all four matches they played those two days in straight sets.
Despite suffering the same outcome Wednesday against the Wolverines, head coach Stephanie Benkowski said this game was an improvement.
“It was probably the best we’ve played all year,” said Benkowski. “I feel that they’re buying in to what I’m selling them at this point, and they’re actually believing what I’m telling them is going to work.”
Sophomore setter Sydni Ayers did her best to help Waynesburg try and win the match with a match-high 25 assists and a team-high seven digs. Teammates Delaney Denniston, junior, and Emily Nowalkowski, senior, tied Ayers in digs with seven.
Freshman Jordan Wyllie, from Grove City, Pennsylvania, led the Jackets against her hometown team in kills with 11 on the night. She also leads the team on the season in kills with 28 this year.
“She’s a hard working, driven kid,” said Benkowski. “For her, she’s getting what she’s putting in. She’s leading us in kills because she’s listening to what I’m doing, and she’s putting the time and dedication in to get better. She was good coming in, and she just keeps working hard…and making those small adjustments we need.”
The sets finished 25-21, 25-13, 25-14 to end the contest; the first set was the closest set of the year for the Yellow Jackets.
“Set one was amazing – it was the best volleyball I’ve seen us play in a few years,” said Benkowski. “I think we got kind of mentally exhausted after that first set, but we’re going to keep working on that.”
The Jackets look to win their first game of the season Friday, Sept. 9, on the road against Frostburg State at 5 p.m.
Waynesburg is 2-7 all-time against Frostburg State, with its last win coming in September 2005 when they won 3-1 at home.