The William Smith College volleyball team defeated Alfred University 3-1 in a scrappy match this evening in Bristol Gymnasium. The Herons move to 6-1, while the Saxons fall to 3-4.
Leading the way for the Herons was sophomore Jaylynn McCarthy with 13 kills on 21 swings, with an impressive .619 hitting percentage. McCarthy also chipped in three blocks and two service aces in the win.
MATCH MOMENTS:
- William Smith and Alfred both came out strong in set one, trading points and forcing the set to extra points. The Saxons slightly outhit the Herons, hitting .167 as a team compared to William Smith’s .154. McCarthy and sophomore Malya Sayre led the Herons with three kills each as Alfred took set one 26-24.
- William Smith opened strong in set two, going on a 4-0 run to start the set. The Saxons responded with a 5-0 run of their own but ultimately the Herons would grab the momentum for the remainder of set two. William Smith held Alfred to a .000 hitting percentage in the set as the Herons grabbed a 25-19 win.
- The two teams continued to battle in set three with William Smith hitting .290 compared to Alfred’s .200. Junior setter Elaina Wamhoffposted four services aces early in the set as sophomore Marin Montagne recorded four kills, hitting .600 in set three. William Smith would win the battle 25-23 to grab a 2-1 lead.
- The Herons shined in set four, outhitting the Saxons .314 to .038. First-year Lindsay Umlauf led William Smith in set four with four kills, hitting .667 in the final set. The Herons offense proved to be too powerful for Alfred as William Smith closed out the match with a 25-16 win.
MATCH STATS:
- McCarthy led the Herons with 13 kills (.619), followed by Montagne with nine (.211).
- Wamhoff recorded 31 assists, eight kills (.389), six digs and four service aces on the night.
- Montagne earned a team-leading eight digs, while Wamhoff and junior Ariana Angus each chipped in six.
- William Smith recorded 16 service aces on the night. Leading the way was Wamhoff, Sayre and first-year Maysie Malinaric with four each while McCarthy and sophomore Cydney Fernandez added two each.
- Umlauf led the Herons with four blocks in the four-set match as McCarthy and first-year Maren Hunt added three each.
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action this weekend when it heads to Salisbury, Maryland to compete in the Salisbury Tri-Match. The Herons will take on the host Sea Gulls on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m., followed by a matchup with the Bullets of Gettysburg at 3 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].