Glenside, PA – The Messiah women's volleyball earned the 3-0 sweep over Arcadia University (25-17, 25-21, 25-20) on the road this evening. Braedyn Gallagher finished with 11 kills and a .381 attack percentage while Kristen Douglas also had 11 kills on the night. Emily Zellers had 13 digs and Danielle Weaver recorded 10 of her own. Brooke Gallagher dished out 38 assists in the winning effort. The Falcons improve to 20-4 overall and 5-1 in the MAC Commonwealth with the win.
 
The Falcons dominated the first set finishing with more kills (17-8) and had a higher attack percentage (.333-.208) than Arcadia.
 
Messiah jumped to an early 3-0 lead off two Arcadia errors and a kill from Braedyn Gallagher.  Later the Falcons tallied two-straight points off kills from Mary Underman and Hannah Baumer to lead 6-1.
 
With the 9-3 advantage Messiah scored four unanswered points to extend the lead to double digits 13-3. In that scoring run Hanna Baumer had one kill, Brooke Gallagher hammered down two kills, and Jessica Zellers recorded a service ace.
 
Leading 22-16 the Falcons tallied two points off two errors by the Knights but they responded with kill to put the score 24-17. However, on the next play Braedyn Gallagher slammed down a kill giving Messiah the 25-17 set one victory.
 
In the second set the Falcons had more kills (14-5), a higher attack percentage (.235-.074), but committed six errors.
 
Messiah was trailing early 5-3 but tallied two points off kills by Taylor Hook and Mary Underman to knot it up at five. Not long after the Falcons found themselves down 9-6 before again scoring three-straight points to tie it at nine. Braedyn Gallagher had a kill in that scoring run.
 
With the Falcons trailing 12-11 they recorded three points off kills by Braedyn Gallagher, and Alycia Park-Ferretti, and Brooke Gallagher had a service ace to give them their first lead 14-12. Arcadia responded scoring three-straight points to regain the lead 15-14.
 
Points were traded back-and-forth but Messiah utilized a pivotal scoring run late in the set, which would ultimately seal the set two win. Trailing 20-18 the Falcons tallied four consecutive points off two kills by Kristen Douglas, a service ace from Jessica Zellers, and two errors by the Knights to gain control 22-20.
 
The Knights recorded a point off an error by the Falcons but Messiah scored the final three set two points off two Arcadia errors and a kill from Taylor Hook to win the set 25-21.
 
Similar to the second set the third set was competitive with both teams on the attack. Arcadia held the advantage for most of the set but Messiah kept fighting and in the end came from behind to win 25-20 earning the 3-0 sweep.
 
Trailing 16-9, the Falcons tallied six-straight points to pull within one 16-15. In that scoring run Danielle Weaver recorded a service ace while Hannah Baumer and Kristen Douglas each hammered down kills.
 
The Knights kept the lead but not long after a kill from Kristen Douglas and then one from Taylor Hook gave the Falcons their first lead of the set 20-19. They then scored three unanswered points off an Arcadia error, a service ace by Kristen Douglas, and kill from Braedyn Gallagher increasing their lead 23-19.
 
Later holding the 23-20 advantage Braedyn Gallagher recorded another kill and Taylor Hook finished the game with a service ace securing the third set and match win for Messiah.
 
The Falcons are back in action this weekend when they play four matches in the Carnegie Mellon Tournament in Pittsburg, Pa.