HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team swept past Bi-Co neighbor Bryn Mawr in convincing fashion, with set scores of 25-20, 25-20, and 25-17. The win moves the Fords to 10-10 overall (3-2 CC), while the Owls fall to 4-14 (0-5 CC). The Wednesday night contest was also Haverford's Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night, honoring community members who have made a lasting impact on the program in a pre-match ceremony.
Haverford's attack was sharp from the start, led by standout performances from Eliana Brown and Taylor Jones. Brown notched 10 kills on 22 attempts, hitting .455, while Jones tallied 10 kills as well, posting an impressive .600 hitting percentage. Gia Frank also contributed nine kills with a .529 hitting percentage.
The Fords' attacking efficiency was evident throughout the evening, posting a hitting percentage of .379 for the match, with just nine errors on 87 total attacks. Kayla Chu (15 assists) and Cameryn DeBlecourt (16 assists) each had solid outings from the setter position, while Brown had a team-best nine digs, narrowly missing a double-double effort. Chu also added four service aces, a game-high.
Bryn Mawr started strong, staying right with the Fords in the early stages. A Kepler service ace gave the Owls a 7-5 lead before a run from the Fords put Haverford back upby one 9-8. The two teams traded short runs until the Fords gained some separation, going up 14-10 after a DeBlecourt service ace and a pair of errors by the visitors. Bryn Mawr had another surge, tying the score at 15-15, prompting a Haverford timeout. The Fords pulled ahead 20-16, leading to a Bryn Mawr timeout after Jones and Caroline Lucas teamed up for a block. Bryn Mawr stayed within four, but a pair of kills from Lucas brought the Fords to set point, and kills from Brown and Frank ended the frame.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with the teams tied at 11-11 early on. The deadlock continued at 14-14 after a Kepler kill, but Haverford took a 20-18 lead following a Brown kill. The Owls stayed close, pulling within one at 21-20, but a 4-0 run by the Fords sealed the set. A pair of Chu service aces set the stage for a Jones kill, ending the set at 25-20.
In the third frame, Haverford started stronger, taking a 12-7 lead and prompting a timeout from the Owls after a Jones service ace. Bryn Mawr responded, pulling within one after back-to-back aces from Elise Perry. However, Haverford found another gear, rattling off seven straight points to take control, leading 21-13. Bryn Mawr had a late 2-0 run to stave off a pair of set points, but Jones sealed the sweep with her 10th kill of the night.
Bryn Mawr was paced by Adelaide Grace, who notched nine kills, while Anna Dravk tallied 26 assists. Charlotte Mullen was the primary libero with 10 digs, while Elise Perry and Zara Kepler each added a pair of service aces.
The Fords now wrap up a two-match home slate with a tough test against Franklin & Marshall, a team receiving votes in the latest AVCA Poll, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, inside Gooding Arena. Please note the later afternoon start time as you make plans to join us for a busy day of action on campus.