CHESTERTOWN, Md. - The Haverford College volleyball team (13-6, 4-2 CC) defeated Washington College (18-6, 4-2 CC) in four sets on Wednesday night at Cain Athletic Center, with scores of 25-19, 25-19, 17-25, 25-16. The Fords attack was fueled by a balanced offensive effort, tallying 53 kills and a .211 hitting percentage to prevail in a crucial conference road matchup.
In the opening set, Haverford came out strong, jumping to a 7-3 lead behind a pair of blocks from Eliana Brown and Fiona Moord. Washington battled back to within two, but a 4-0 Haverford run, highlighted by kills from Elizabeth Cella and Brown and a Maggie Turner block restored momentum. Izabela Potocnjak extended the lead to 18-11 with a kill before a 5-0 Washington surge tightened things late. Potocnjak struck again at 21-17, and a 3-0 Haverford run, capped by back-to-back service aces from Cam DeBlecourt, set up set point, which Brown converted with a kill for a 25-19 win.
The Fords capitalized on key moments in the second set with another strong offensive showing. The teams traded points early, reaching an 11-11 deadlock, before kills from Potocnjak and Gia Frank, coupled with multiple assists from Dasha Igonin, propelled Haverford to a 16-12 advantage. Washington trimmed the deficit to one at 19-18, but Haverford responded with a decisive 4-0 run to take control at 23-18. Cella delivered a kill for set point, and an Igonin ace sealed the frame, 25-19.
Washington rallied in the third set, opening on a 14-7 spurt and building a 20-11 lead before a late Haverford push narrowed the gap. However, Washington's Emma Shaner closed out the set at 25-17 to keep the match alive.
Haverford asserted control in the fourth, hitting a match-best .324 with 16 kills against just four errors. Tied 9-9 early, the Fords surged ahead behind Igonin's steady serving, building a 16-11 lead. Kills from Brown and a Potocnjak ace extended the margin to 19-13, and a 4-0 run capped by a Frank kill put the Fords on the doorstep of victory. After Washington briefly held off match point, Frank's 14th kill made it 24-16, and a block from Turner and Cella clinched the set and the match, 25-16.
Cella led Haverford with 14 kills and 14 digs, contributing on both ends of the court. Brown recorded 11 kills and tied for the team lead in digs with 14, showcasing her all-around play. DeBlecourt orchestrated the offense with 23 assists and added three service aces, while Frank tallied 11 kills on a .364 hitting percentage. Kira Chaney chipped in a career-best six assists.
Leah Titter made a notable impact from the service line, recording four aces without a single error. Giselle Kleinbussink was steady on both sides of the net, notching 10 kills on a .233 clip and adding six digs. Shaner anchored the defense with six total blocks, including one solo, to round out a strong performance at the net.
Haverford returns home to host Dickinson at Gooding '84 Arena on October 25. The match—Haverford's Dig Pink Day—is set for a noon start and will be part of a tri-match that also features a 4 p.m. contest against Kean.
