HAVERFORD, Pa. — Sophomore Elizabeth Cella delivered a career-high 24 kills on a blistering .477 hitting percentage as the Haverford College volleyball team opened its home slate and its portion of the Haverford Invitational with a five-set thriller against Misericordia on Friday evening at Gooding '84 Arena.
The Cougars (1-1) ultimately escaped Gooding Arena with a 3-2 victory, prevailing by set scores of 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 19-25 and 15-12. Haverford moved to 1-1 on the young season after the setback.
Cella committed just three errors across 44 swings while adding a service ace. Her 24 kills eclipsed her previous career best of 21, established twice during her standout rookie season against Scranton and Dickinson. The performance also tied for 17th on Haverford's single-match kills list. Cella's 24 kills were the most by a Haverford player since Natalie Pisch recorded 24 against Catholic on Sept. 15, 2017.
The reigning Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year and AVCA All-America honorable mention selection has opened her sophomore campaign with 43 kills over Haverford's first two matches, averaging 5.38 kills per set while hitting .391. Cella followed a 19-kill performance in Tuesday's season-opening sweep of Widener with Friday's career night.
First-year Marlee Hills joined Cella in double figures with 14 kills, while junior Fiona Moord delivered 10 kills and a match-high three service aces. Senior Dasha Igonin paced the setting effort with 23 assists and two aces, with first-year Anna Krotky Koeppe contributing 18 assists, nine digs and an ace.
Junior Kira Chaney anchored the back row with a match-high 16 digs. Junior Maggie Turner led the Fords at the net with four total blocks, including two emphatic solo rejections, while senior Gia Frank added seven kills and three blocks.
Misericordia established an early 12-8 advantage in the opening set before Haverford began to chip away. Kills from Cella and Moord brought the Fords within 13-12, and Haverford later used a Moord ace and a Charlotte Dziki kill to trim the deficit to 21-20. Cella answered again to make it 22-21, but the Cougars collected the final three rallies to secure the opening frame, 25-21.
The Cougars opened the second set with four consecutive tallies and extended their lead to 14-8. Haverford responded with a 5-0 run that featured kills from Hills, Moord and Frank, pulling within one at 14-13. Misericordia rebuilt its cushion, but another Haverford surge erased a 20-18 deficit. Cella supplied a kill before Krotky Koeppe dropped in an ace to even the set at 20-20. The Fords later fought off two set points, using a Misericordia service error and a Frank-Moord block to close within 24-23, but the Cougars converted their next opportunity to take a two-set advantage.
Haverford's offense found its rhythm in the third. With the Fords trailing 5-3, Cella hammered three consecutive kills before Turner added another to complete a 4-0 run and give Haverford a 7-5 edge.
The Fords continued to create separation, using kills from Cella, Hills and Frank along with a stellar Igonin ace to build a 22-14 cushion. Cella later delivered an ace to bring Haverford to set point before Hills finished the 25-19 victory with a kill.
Haverford then authored its most decisive run of the night in the fourth set. Misericordia held a 15-9 advantage before Cella took over, pounding five consecutive kills to bring the Fords level at 15-15. Turner followed with a block, Moord served an ace and Cella added another kill as Haverford completed a 9-0 run to surge ahead 18-15.
Cella added two more kills to extend the advantage to 21-16, and Hills and Frank supplied the final two kills of a 25-19 triumph that forced a deciding fifth set. Cella finished the fourth frame with eight kills on 11 errorless swings, hitting .727 in the set. The Fords carried that momentum into the finale, opening a quick 3-0 lead behind a Cella kill, a Moord ace and a Misericordia attack error. The Cougars battled back, and the teams were tied at 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8.
Misericordia then claimed four consecutive rallies to move ahead 12-8. Haverford refused to go quietly, with kills from Cella, Frank and Hills helping the Fords close within 13-12 in front of the home crowd. The Cougars, however, captured the final two rallies to escape with the 15-12 decision.
Haverford finished with a 62-51 advantage in kills and outhit Misericordia .238 to .231. The Fords were particularly effective during their comeback, hitting .379 in the third set and .333 in the fourth.
Volleyball now returns to Gooding '84 Arena on Saturday for two more matches in the Haverford Invitational. The Fords face Lancaster Bible at 11 a.m. before concluding the tournament action against Stockton at 3 p.m.
