HAVERFORD, Pa. – The third-seeded Haverford College volleyball team punched its ticket to the Centennial Conference semifinals for the first time since 2021, outlasting sixth-seeded Dickinson in a thrilling five-set (25-16, 18-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-10) victory on Wednesday night at Gooding '84 Arena.
The victory in the conference first-round matchup also marked the program's first tournament win in four years, propelled by a stellar performance from first-year Elizabeth Cella. Cella was the offensive catalyst all night, matching her career high with a massive 21 kills to lead all players. She was also formidable from the service line, adding four aces and chipping in nine digs defensively.
The Fords (19-8) appeared to be in cruise control early, dominating the first set 25-16. Haverford jetted out on a 6-0 run and eventually stretched that lead to 12-3 behind a block from Fiona Moord and Izabela Potocnjak before an attack error from Dickinson's Jessica Currie. The Red Devils were able to climb back into the contest, but a 6-1 run down the stretch put Haverford up by 10 at 23-13 before Eliana Brown ended the frame with a kill at 25-16.
However, the Red Devils (18-11) responded, stiffening their defense at the net to take the next two closely contested sets (25-18, 25-23) and push Haverford to the brink of elimination. Dickinson's blocking effort was stellar in the second set, turning a 15-15 tie into a 21-15 lead behind Emery Fischbach, who logged four consecutive blocks as the Red Devils evened the match with a 25-18 win. Dickinson carried that momentum into the third, jumping out to a 14-7 start and holding the lead to 16-10 before Haverford clawed back. Down 22-16, the Fords rattled off a 6-0 run—curled between consecutive Dickinson timeouts—to tie the score at 22-22. Dickinson earned set point at 24-22, but a block from Gia Frank and Maggie Turner brought Haverford within one before the Red Devils escaped 25-23.
Facing a 2-1 deficit on their home court, the Fords responded emphatically. Haverford's offense rediscovered its rhythm in the fourth, cruising to a 25-17 win to force a deciding fifth set. Cella came alive once again, while Frank largely matched the rookie's output as Moord provided another dangerous option in the middle during the dominant stretch. Haverford carried that momentum into the decider, using a 5-0 run that included back-to-back kills from Potocnjak and a strong blocking effort to build a 9-5 lead before ultimately closing out the match 15-10, to the delight of the charged-up fans in attendance.
It was a total team effort in what marked a second consecutive thriller against the Red Devils, after Dickinson edged the Fords in five sets in October. Setters Kayla Chu (25 assists, 12 digs) and Cameryn DeBlecourt (22 assists, 11 digs) both registered double-doubles, while libero Kira Chaney, the reigning Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week, anchored the back row with a match-high 26 digs.
Frank provided a crucial offensive spark with 11 kills, while at the net, Moord and Turner were formidable, each tallying five blocks.
Dickinson was led by 14 kills from Mallie Thomas and a dominant 14-block performance from Fischbach, a new Centennial Conference record for a five-set match. She was integral in helping the Red Devils build their mid-match cushion.
With the win, Haverford advances to face second-seeded Franklin & Marshall on Friday, November 14, inside the Mayser Center in Lancaster, Pa.. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. as the Fords and Diplomats do battle for a spot in Sunday's Centennial Conference final.
