CARLISLE Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team (20-8, 5-3 CC) swept a tri-match at Centennial Conference foe Dickinson on Saturday afternoon, taking down the Red Devils in four sets (19-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-20) in a key conference clash, before dispatching Misericordia (25-19, 25-18, 25-11) in straight sets in the second game of the afternoon. Setter Sydney Miller had a standout day for the Fords, recording 55 assists, 17 kills, 11 digs, and three blocks on the afternoon on a team-best .406 hitting percentage. The Fords have now reached the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2015 season and are firmly in the thick of the Centennial Conference playoff race entering the final week of the season.
Haverford 3, Dickinson 1
After the Fords got out on a fast start, stretching an early lead to 11-5 behind a block from Riley Outen and Kendall Otridge, a well-placed timeout from Dickinson allowed the Red Devils to regroup as the hosts came back to creep to within just one at 11-10, prompting a Haverford timeout. With all the drama expected of a closely contested conference match, the Red Devils got the raucous senior day crowd behind them, taking a 17-14 lead on a Christina Chu service ace. The Fords clawed back to within three at 21-18, but a service run from Jenna Schumann helped Dickinson escape with a first set win at 25-19.
The second went to the Fords with an identical 25-19 score, as Haverford started on a 6-1 run before Dickinson rallied to tie things at 10-10. With Sara Hunsberger and Miller each posting strong turns at the service line, the Fords pulled ahead by six at 20-14, before a Miller kill and a Kendall Robison service ace gave Haverford set point at 24-18. Kendall Otridge then evened the match score with a kill.
Haverford erased a 4-1 start from the Red Devils in the third, as the two sides were deadlocked in a close battle down the stretch. Haverford took back a 22-18 lead after a 5-0 run, but Dickinson again had an answer for the visitors, pulling back to within one at 23-22. The score was tied as late as 24-24, but consecutive Red Devils errors allowed the Fords to take a 26-24 victory in the decisive set.
The fourth saw Haverford begin to pull away, turning a slim 9-8 lead into a more comfortable 20-13 one behind an extended run that saw the Fords display their crispest passing and attacking of the match. Dickinson rallied back to within three, prompting Haverford timeout, but a kill from Miller gave the Fords set point before a service error ended the match in favor of Haverford.
Dina Kosyagin had 14 kills to pace the Fords, while Miller had a career-best 10 and Outen added seven. Isabel Schwam led three Fords with double-digit digs, notching 10 while adding a career-best six assists Madison Adore and Elena Filograna each had 10 digs. Gallagher-Teske had four total blocks in the match. Hunsberger and Robison each delivered a pair of service aces in the triumph.
Haverford 3, Misericordia 0
The Fords returned to the court at the Kline Center with an impressive performance in the non-conference match against a pesky Misericordia side. The Cougars were matched well with Haverford in the early goings, before Haverford unleashed back-to-back blocks to open up a three-point lead as Outen teamed up with Otridge and Adore on consecutive stoppages to set the tone for the stanza. The Fords went ahead by seven at 20-13 behind an Otridge kill, and although Misericordia pulled to within four at 22-18, another quick 4-0 run down the stretch put things away for Haverford.
In the second, the two sides were deadlocked until a Schwam service run turned an 11-11 tie into an 18-11 Haverford advantage. As was the case in the first, Misericorida rallied to pull within six, but strong blocking in the latter goings and kills from Miller and Outen gave the second to Haverford at 25-18.
The third was a culmination of Haverford's successful stint in Carlisle, as all seemed to be firing on all cylinders in the closeout set of the afternoon. An 8-2 lead out the gates led to an early Misericordia timeout, and the Cougars were unable to stop the charging Haverford offense as Robison opened up a strong service turn to take a 14-4 lead nearing the midway point. The advantage stretched to as large as 21-8, and a Gallagher-Teske kill quickly restored a 23-10 lead. A solo block from Miller gave the Fords set point, and an Adore kill then sent Haverford to its second win of the day.
Otridge had nine kills to lead the Fords, while Miller added seven, along with 22 assists, and six digs. Isabel Schwam had a breakout match with a career-best seven service aces and nine digs after previously establishing a career-best in assists in the first match.
Gallagher-Teske continued her climb up the Centennial Conference career record books, as the senior ends the day with 413 career blocks, passing Lisa Kamin of Gettysburg for sole possession of seventh place in the conference's annals.
The Fords now return to action on Wednesday, October 30 at Bi-Co neighbor Bryn Mawr. That match is slated for 7 p.m. The Fords will then wrap up the 2019 regular season with a senior day matchup against Swarthmore inside Gooding '84 Arena. First serve in the Hood Trophy rivalry match is slated for 12:30 p.m. Prior to the match, the Fords will honor the senior class of Christine Anderson, Julia Gallagher-Teske, Sara Matsumura, and Kendall Robison in their final regular season home match at Gooding '84 Arena.