Box Score
Reading, PA — A season-high in both service aces and team attack percentage helped Messiah to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-14) win at Commonwealth Conference foe Alvernia University Tuesday night, as the Falcons kept their league record unblemished in the team's most lopsided win of the year.
Messiah (10-3, 2-0) dropped in 20 aces from the service line and hit at a collective .277 clip in Alvernia's Physical Education Center, bettering previous season highs of 14 and .222 — set against Lincoln University and Albright College, respectively.
“I was pleased with how we approached this match, and how we played the entire way through,” said Judi Tobias, Messiah head coach. “We didn't let up at any point tonight, and that's something we've been talking about all season, really. This was the best we've played, start to finish, this year.”
Only the second set was ever in doubt, as Alvernia (3-7, 1-1) notched five of its 10 total service aces within the stanza's first nine points. The result was a 7-2 Crusaders' lead, and the Falcons appeared to be in for a battle.
A quick timeout from Tobias jolted the visitors back into production, however, as Messiah scored 15 of the set's next 16 points, remarkably taking a 16-8 lead.
It would get no closer, as a kill from freshman Jordyn Scheib made it a 22-10 contest. Three Alvernia miscues concluded the scoring, and Tobias' club had a comfortable, 2-0 lead in hand.
A kill from sophomore Lauren Rees opened the third frame and two service aces from freshman Jessica Geib followed, putting the Falcons ahead by a 3-0 count. The team's lead would balloon to 20-12 before Rees would put the finishing touches on the evening, registering her 10th kill to conclude the 25-14, third-set victory.
Those 10 kills equated to a match high, while her .409 attacking percentage was second only to Scheib, who planted seven kills on a ridiculous .545 clip. Sophomore Lindsay King hit a perfect 1.000 on the night, notching four kills in just four swings.
“We served tough and we were able to move the ball around on offense,” Tobias said. “Our middles (Jordyn and Lindsay) were especially good tonight. We were able to execute some of the things we've been working on in practice, and that was another good thing for us.”
Alvernia's offensive struggles kept the Falcons' defensive numbers from being impressive, as the Crusaders' -.032 team attack percentage came at the expense of just three total blocks from Messiah. Junior Megan Wise scooped nine digs while Geib finished with six. The Falcons picked up just 24 Alvernia attacks on the evening, a season-low in digs by more than half the squad's previous low.
“We've been talking a lot about mental toughness, not letting up or getting too comfortable,” Tobias said. “Tonight, I thought we took a step forward in that area. I think we're all anxious to get back on the court to test that area again.”
Messiah will not have to look far for its next hurdle, as a tri-match at Philadelphia Biblical University will take place Saturday. The Falcons will open against PBU at 11 a.m., and will then face the University of Scranton. Messiah already defeated Scranton by a 3-1 score at the Gettysburg College Battlefield Classic back on Sept. 4, but has lost to Philadelphia Biblical in each of the past two seasons.
