WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet University women's volleyball team turned heads in the Field House here Friday as the Bison swept their opponents on the first day of the 17th annual Worthington Classic.
Gallaudet (12-4) flexed its muscle against two strong non-conference foes in Bethel (Minn.) University and University of Lynchburg as the Bison won in straight sets, 3-0, against both.
The Bison snapped Bethel's six-match winning streak with a 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 victory to begin the two-day tournament.
Gallaudet came out of the gates strong with back-to-back sets with team hitting percentage numbers above .324. The Bison had a .378 mark in the second set as they only made four errors on 37 swings and 18 kills.
Sophomore outside hitter
Brielle Worley (Amarillo, Texas) led the way with a match-high 21 kills on 54 swings and only four errors (.315 hitting percentage). Junior outside hitter
Citrine Lummer (Frederick, Md.) posted a .391 hitting percentage on 23 swings, four errors and 13 kills. Lummer completed the double-double with 11 digs.
Senior middle hitter
Anya Pothorski (Columbus, Ohio) was a force at the net with four kills on six attempts (.667) and three blocks (one solo). Fellow senior opposite
Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) matched Pothorski with three blocks (one solo) and added five kills. Sophomore middle hitter
Jada Zarembka (Riverside, Calif.) mirrored Perry with five kills.
Junior setter
Ella Gamble (Cullowhee, N.C.) passed out a match-high 44 assists while junior libero
Nicole Hicks (Corona, Calif.) made a match-high 20 digs. Sophomore
Ashlene Etkie (Austin, Texas) came off the bench to help with the service game and tallied two aces and 10 digs.
Bethel (9-4) was led by Hannah Penke's 10 kills and Brenna Stark's 23 assists.
This was Gallaudet's first meeting against the Royals since 1998 when the Bison traveled out to Minnesota to play Bethel. GU Hall of Famer
Ronda Jo Miller was on that Bison team as she played in her home state. The Royals won the match, 3-1.
In the nightcap, the Bison went up against a red-hot Lynchburg team who dispatched The Catholic University of America in straight sets before facing Gallaudet. The Hornets (9-8) jumped out to an early 14-8 lead only to watch things vanish as the Bison rallied and stampeded past the visitors 25-21. GU took the next two sets by the scores of 25-17 and 25-20.
GU finished the match with another strong hitting performance with a team hitting percentage of .290 as the buff and blue served up 10 aces and made nine blocks.
Worley had one of her best all-around games with 17 kills, six digs, three aces and three blocks (one solo) and a .310 hitting percentage. Perry threw down eight kills, four digs and three blocks. Zarembka chipped in seven kills and a match-high five blocks (two solo). Lummer finished with five kills, 10 digs and two service aces. Gamble passed out 33 assists and made seven digs, two aces and one block. Pothorski was the fourth Bison with at least three blocks.
Lynchburg was paced by Kailey Keough's nine kills and eight digs while Jania Leek tallied 29 assists in the loss.
This was Gallaudet's first win over the Hornets dating back to at least 2009. The Bison lost in straight sets at home against the Hornets in 2019 and on the road in 2009.
On the second court, Bethel defeated Marymount (Va.) University in straight sets, 3-0. Catholic defeated the Saints, 3-1, in the final match of the night.
UP NEXT
Gallaudet will be back in action tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 28) at 11 a.m. with its second meeting against Marymount (Va.) University (2-13) in 17 days. The Bison will close out the Worthington Classic at 3 p.m. with a match against The Catholic University of America (7-8).
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