WASHINGTON– The 18th annual Worthington Classic got underway here Friday in the Field House as Gallaudet University welcomed six schools; Franklin & Marshall College, Gallaudet University, Hope College, University of Mary Washington, Mount Union University, University of California Santa Cruz and Whittier College to participate in the two-day tournament on Padden Court.
In the first match of the Worthington Classic, the Gallaudet women's volleyball team dropped a tough 3-0 match to Franklin & Marshall College, who is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Top 25 poll. The Diplomats won by the score of 10-25, 21-25, 18-25.
GU wasn't able to slow down the Diplomats's hot offense that started the match with a .450 hitting percentage and eight service aces in the first set. F&M picked up a quick first set win, 10-25.
In the second set, the Bison were still trying to slow down the Diplomats' offense but they still posted a .341 hitting percentage. The second set featured four ties. After both teams tied,14-14, F&M pulled away with a 7-2 run to finish the set, 21-25.
F&M jumped early on the buff and blue with a 22-13 score but GU went on a small 5-2 run but it was too late as the Diplomats held onto to win the third set, 18-25, and complete the sweep.
Junior outside hitter
Brielle Worley (Amarillo, Texas) led the team with 13 kills. Senior
Citrine Lummer (Frederick, Md.) added seven kills and junior middle hitter
Jada Zarembka (Riverside, Calif.) tallied five kills. Zarembka also served up two aces and made one block. Lummer added 10 digs. Senior setter
Ella Gamble (Cullowhee, N.C.) passed out 23 assists and served one ace.
In the second match, Gallaudet faced No. 18 Hope College, who finished last season in the NCAA Division III national semifinals and the season prior the Flying Dutch were the 2023 national runner-ups.
Gallaudet was up to the task and went toe-to-toe with Hope and kept things interesting, especially in the third set. In the end, Hope swept the Bison, 3-0, by the score of 16-25, 17-25, 21-25.
In the first set, GU had an impressive start as it scored the first four points of the set. Hope regrouped and took a 7-6 lead. GU was able to bounce back with a 5-1 run to take an 11-8 lead before Hope pestered Bison again with five straight points that started a 13-2 run as the Flying Dutch built a comfortable lead, 15-22, en route to the 16-25 set win.
In the second set, GU was not able to catch up when Hope was up early but the Bison gave the Flying Dutch a hard time but Hope won, 17-25.
In the third set, Gallaudet came alive and hung tough with nationally ranked Hope. The Bison faithful were biting their nails as the set featured nine ties and four lead changes. GU was up 10-7, then the set went back-and-forth until Hope broke off four straight points to take a 17-21 lead. Gallaudet (6-5) made it close but in the end the Flying Dutch (7-4) escaped with the 21-25 set win and 3-0 sweep.
Lummer finished with a match-high nine kills along with nine digs. Worley added eight kills and 10 digs. Gamble passed out 24 assists and recorded two aces.
BISON TRACKS
- Lummer now needs 13 digs to hit the 1,000 career digs and 10 kills to join the 1,000 career kills club
- Last time Gallaudet had back-to-back losses was October 18, 2022
- The Bison has 95 team digs in the two matches
UP NEXT
The second day of the Worthington Classic begins tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 20) at 10 a.m. with two matches on two courts. Gallaudet will face UC Santa Cruz (7-6) at noon on Court 1 and will later face the Whittier College Poets (7-1) at 4 p.m. on Padden Court. There will be seven matches total played on Saturday.
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