HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Presbyterian College Blue Hose volleyball team (1-1) defeated the Delaware State Hornets (0-3) 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-20, 21-25, 15-6) after an exciting five sets.
 
COACH BENSON'S THOUGHTS
"It was a battle back and forth. They are a quick team so we had to make adjustments from the scout the day before. We just have to find other ways to be consistent out there."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
The Hornets struck first, scoring the opening two points of the game before an attack error put PC on the board. Delaware State quickly responded with another point, but Courtney Williams delivered the Blue Hose's first kill of the day, narrowing DSU's lead to 3-2. Despite a strong assisted block by Elyse Hutchinson and Williams, followed by a kill from Hutchinson, the Hornets managed to extend their lead to 7-4.
 
Both teams then traded points, bringing the score to 11-8, with Delaware State maintaining a three-point advantage. The Hornets capitalized on this momentum, taking the next two points, but PC fought back with a kill from Julia Yurkovich and a service ace by Aliza Hart, reducing the deficit to just two points. The Blue Hose continued their rally, securing three of the next four points through kills from Hannah Rowe and Yurkovich, tightening the gap to 14-13.
 
Despite another kill from Rowe, Delaware State pulled ahead once more, making it 18-14. Refusing to back down, PC scored the next two points, highlighted by a powerful block from Brittney Daphnis and Williams. The Hornets answered with two points of their own, maintaining their four-point cushion at 20-16. The teams continued to exchange points, setting the stage for a tense finish where Delaware State was able to end the set in their favor with a score of 25-21.
 
SECOND SET
The Blue Hose jumped ahead early in the second set, securing the first two points with a kill from Williams. Delaware State quickly responded with a point of their own and then went on a four-point run to take a 5-2 lead. The teams exchanged points, bringing the score to 7-4, with DSU still holding a three-point advantage. The Hornets extended their lead by scoring three of the next four points, pushing it to 10-5.
 
The teams traded points until the score reached 14-9, with Presbyterian's points coming from kills by Rowe and Yurkovich, along with a block assist from Daphnis and Yurkovich. The Blue Hose then scored two consecutive points, highlighted by an assisted block from Anna Baranski and Hutchinson. Presbyterian continued to chip away at the deficit, cutting it to just one point, 15-14, thanks to kills from Baranski and Rowe.
 
A pair of kills from Rowe soon tied the set at 17-17. The Blue Hose then pulled ahead, taking a 19-18 lead after Williams recorded a kill and joined Yurkovich for a block assist. Delaware State quickly tied it up, but Yurkovich responded with another kill, giving the Blue Hose a 20-19 edge. The Hornets reclaimed the lead with two straight points, making it 21-20, only for Yurkovich to level the score at 21 apiece.
 
After Delaware briefly took the lead again, Rowe's kill tied it up at 22-22. The tension escalated as each team added a point, knotting the score at 23-23. With the set on the line, a powerful kill from Rowe gave Presbyterian set point, and Williams sealed the deal with a solo block, clinching the set 25-23 for the Blue Hose.
 
THIRD SET
After each team quickly traded two points, a kill from Yurkovich and a service ace by Hart gave Presbyterian a 4-2 lead. Yurkovich and Hutchinson followed up with kills, but Delaware State responded, bringing the score to 6-4. Both sides added another point before an extended rally ended with a block assist by Rowe and Daphnis, pushing the Blue Hose ahead 8-5. DSU claimed the next point, but a kill from Williams allowed Presbyterian to maintain their three-point advantage at 9-6.
 
The teams exchanged two points apiece, with Presbyterian's coming from a pair of kills by Yurkovich. Despite Yurkovich recording her fifth kill of the set, Delaware State managed to tie the score at 12-12. Presbyterian then went on a 3-1 run, fueled by kills from Rowe and Baranski, reclaiming a 15-13 lead. PC maintained their two-point cushion, bolstered by two assisted blocks from Williams and Daphnis, making it 18-16.
 
A pair of points from both teams brought the score to 20-18, still in Presbyterian's favor. The Blue Hose then surged ahead, scoring the next three points, highlighted by a kill from Baranski, extending their lead to 23-18. Hutchinson's kill gave Presbyterian set point, and although the Hornets scored the next two points, a final kill from Baranski secured the set for the Blue Hose, 25-20.
 
FOURTH SET
Williams got the Blue Hose off to a strong start in the fourth set with a kill, followed by a block assist alongside Hutchinson, giving PC an early 2-0 lead. Delaware State quickly responded with their first point, but Presbyterian extended their lead to 6-1 thanks to a pair of block assists led by Hutchinson and two kills from Yurkovich. The Hornets managed to pick up the next two points, narrowing the gap to 6-3.
 
Despite kills from Hutchinson and Rowe, Delaware State went on a run, scoring four points to trim PC's lead to 8-7. The Hornets then took their first lead of the set, 10-9, after a 3-1 run. However, the Blue Hose answered back with three consecutive points, including a kill from Rowe, to reclaim the lead at 12-10. Delaware State responded with a four-point surge of their own, moving ahead 14-12.
 
Presbyterian fought back, securing four of the next six points through kills from Williams, Baranski, and Hutchinson, tying the score at 16-16. Although the Hornets took the next point, PC responded with three straight points, fueled by a pair of kills from Rowe, to take a 19-17 lead. However, Delaware State turned the tide with a four-point run, regaining the advantage at 21-19.
 
Rowe ended the Hornets' streak with a kill, but another DSU point put them ahead 22-20. Both teams added a point, bringing the score to 23-21, before Delaware State sealed the set with two final kills, winning 25-21 and forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
FIFTH SET
The Hornets opened the final set with the first point, but a quick kill from Williams kept Presbyterian right on their heels. Both teams traded three points, bringing the score to 4-4 before a kill from Yurkovich gave the Blue Hose a one-point lead. PC then extended their advantage, capitalizing on a Hornets' attack error and a kill from Rowe to make it 7-4. A kill by Baranski pushed Presbyterian to the crucial eighth point, prompting the teams to switch sides.
 
Two consecutive attack errors by Delaware State widened Presby's lead to 10-5. Back-to-back kills from Rowe accelerated the momentum, bringing the Blue Hose to a commanding 12-5 lead. A service ace from Sophia Del Valle took PC to 13 points, and an attack error from the Hornets put the Blue Hose on the brink of victory. The Hornets were able to pick up another point, but Baranski's final kill gave the Blue Hose victory with a 15-6 score in the final set.
 
NOTABLES
- Yurkovich totaled 13 kills including five in the third set alone.
- Rowe recorded a double-double with her 17 kills and 10 digs. She also tied her career-high with her 17 kills on the day.
- Williams took 11 kills for an impressive .429 hitting percentage along with eight blocks.
- Hutchinson also added eight blocks, with six kills and a .250 hitting percentage.
- Baranski tallied eight kills for a .273 hitting percentage, 38 assists, and 10 digs.
 
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose will wrap up competition in the LD&B Insurance Invitational with one last match tomorrow at noon against the host team, James Madison.