William Smith volleyball pushed No. 15 Wesleyan to the limit Sunday, but the Herons could not finish off the Cardinals in a five-set battle to close the 2026 Heron Invitational. William Smith fell to 2-1 on the season, while Wesleyan remained unbeaten at 3-0.
The Herons overcame a slow start to take a 2-1 lead before Wesleyan rallied to force a deciding fifth set. William Smith held advantages in kills, assists and digs, but the Cardinals’ blocking proved to be a difference-maker throughout the match.
First-year outside hitter Cassidy Breuer led all players with 19 kills while adding 11 digs and two service aces. Junior Emily Fulton produced a season-best 14 kills, 10 digs and four aces, while first-year Senya Dorny contributed eight kills and two blocks.
Wesleyan claimed the opening set 25-16 behind 14 kills and a .387 hitting percentage. William Smith responded emphatically in the second, hitting .313 and limiting the Cardinals to a .065 percentage as Breuer recorded eight kills in a 25-16 win.
The Herons carried that momentum into the third set, edging Wesleyan 25-23 after Fulton delivered a key kill late in the frame. The Cardinals answered in the fourth set despite William Smith recording 16 kills, forcing the deciding set with a 25-20 victory.
Wesleyan controlled the fifth set from the start, hitting .533 while holding William Smith without a kill until late in the frame. The Cardinals closed out the match 15-7.
Delainy Williams and Jayden Hanson combined for 49 assists, while libero Kali Vanderhoof led William Smith with 17 digs.
“I’m really proud of our group and the way they competed today,” head coach Derryk Williams said. “Wesleyan is a great team with a ton of experience, so this was a good test for us. It showed our program that we are at a really high level, and I’m excited to get back in the gym and take the next steps!”
William Smith returns to action Friday, September 11, against No. 19 Christopher Newport at 2 p.m. at the William Paterson Tournament in Wayne, New Jersey.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.