Box Score
Grantham, PA — In the end, perhaps the hotly contested nature of Wednesday night's season-opening match with York College played out exactly as it should have.
That, at least, according to Messiah head coach Judi Tobias.
“I was really pleased with how we started,” she said. “Really pleased. But I was surprised that we were able to dominate them like we did. I didn't expect to do that to them. They raised their level of play, and we didn't, and it went to a fifth set. They got it done.”
York did get it done — despite dropping the evening's first two stanzas — eventually recording a 3-2 (18-25, 20-25, 25-18, 25-15, 15-10) decision over the host Falcons, putting a fizzling end to a night that started with fireworks for the hosts.
Messiah (0-1) opened the match with a furor, taking a 19-9 lead in the opening set and pulling away late in the second to go up by the 2-0 margin — putting a shock into an experienced York team that had won 67 matches over the past three seasons.
With six upperclassmen on the roster, however, the Spartans responded, cruising through the third and fourth sets before closing the fifth frame on a 5-1 run, ending Messiah's bid for its first season-opening win in two years.
“We didn't play the match to completion,” Tobias said. “I'm not sure if we got overly comfortable (with a 2-0 lead) or if we just expected them to give in, but York stepped up. The last three sets ... we just didn't play at the same intensity level.”
Energy was not an issue for Tobias' club early, as a kill from sophomore Lauren Rees put an exclamation point on the Falcons' first-set win. A kill from junior Emily Hall gave Messiah a 2-1 lead in the second frame — an advantage the hosts would not surrender. The Falcons hit at a .189 clip in the first set and a .281 set in the second, utilizing deft passing and a brilliant performance by freshman setter Jessica Geib to sprint in front.
Sadly, York (1-0) was running a marathon.
The Spartans effectively turned the tables on Messiah, limiting the Falcons to a .000 attack percentage in the third set and a pair of negative performances in the final two frames — including just four kills in the fourth.
“We clearly didn't maintain the same level and, to me, that's the most frustrating part,” Tobias said. “We now have to try and figure out how we can make that happen.”
Junior Cassy Diamond finished the night with a team-best 12 kills on 33 attempts (a .242 attack percentage), while Rees put up 10 attacks for points on a .040 clip. Rees scooped 16 digs and added a pair of service aces.
Senior Megan Wise collected 20 digs from her libero position and junior Lauren Lathrop contributed 10, while freshman Jordan Scheib was involved in three of Messiah's eight block assists. Geib finished with 35 assists and 15 digs, showing her athleticism in the form of five kills as well.
“We showed some really good stuff out there tonight,” Tobias said. “Jessica Geib is going to be a fun player to watch, and Jordan Scheib didn't play like a freshman, either. Our returning players all gave us some quality play, and overall we were encouraged. We had some blocking issues, and York was able to take advantage of that, but we'll get better.”
Tobias' squad will have just a day to return to the practice courts, as a trip to the weekend-long Gettysburg College Battlefield Classic is next. The Falcons will open against Salisbury University Friday night, followed by tilts with Washington College, Lincoln University and the University of Scranton. Complete tournament details are available at the official site of the Battlefield Classic.
“If we saw anything tonight, it was that we're not going to have to take a step backward to move forward,” Tobias said. “Even with a freshman playing such a crucial role as setter, we seem to be picking up from where we left off last year, and that is extremely encouraging.”
