MEDIA, Pa. – The Gallaudet University women's volleyball team punched its ticket to the United East Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon as senior outside hitter Brielle Worley (Amarillo, Texas) hammered home a match-high 30 kills to power the Bison past Penn St.-Brandywine in four sets at Brandywine Commons Gym.
Gallaudet (16-9, 6-2 United East) defeated the Nittany Lions (10-10, 4-4 United East) by set scores of 25-20, 22-25, 25-12, 25-23 to extend its winning streak to six matches and officially secure a spot in the eight-team conference tournament.
The Bison currently occupy fourth place in the United East standings with two regular-season matches remaining. Cairn University (13-8, 5-3 United East) also clinched a postseason berth Saturday, becoming the fifth team to qualify for the conference tournament.
Worley hit .324 on 68 swings and added nine digs, one service ace and two block assists to finish with 32 points. Fellow senior outside hitter
Jada Zarembka (Riverside, Calif.) recorded a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs while hitting .263.
After splitting the first two sets, Gallaudet took control in the third, hitting .409 while holding Penn St.-Brandywine to a .000 hitting percentage in a decisive 25-12 victory. The Bison then held off the Nittany Lions, 25-23, in a tightly contested fourth set to seal the road win.
First-year setter
Gracie Gloster (Clark, N.J.) distributed 43 assists and served three aces, while first-year libero
Tori Harris (Stockbridge, Ga.) collected a match-high 21 digs and three aces. First year
Aliyah Medearis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added a team-high four aces.
Sophomore middle hitter
Kayla Debrow (Jacksonville, Fla.) recorded five blocks (one solo), while first-year middle hitter
Sulianie Casella added a career best four blocks (two solo). Debrow also contributed four kills and hit .500 as Gallaudet finished with nine team blocks.
Penn St.-Brandywine was led by Emma O'Reilly with eight kills, while Hailey Piccirillo added seven kills, four aces and 15 digs.
BISON TRACKS
- Worley recorded her third 30-kill performance of the season and fifth in a buff and blue uniform.
- This was Zarembka's ninth double-double this season.
- Gloster reached 40 assists for the fifth time this season.
- A quarter of Gloster's service aces this season (42) came in the last three matches (10 aces).
- Debrow's five blocks in a match is the second highest mark this year for the Jacksonville, Fla., native.
UP NEXT
Gallaudet returns home to host Lancaster Bible College (13-9, 8-1 United East) on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. inside the Field House. The Chargers currently sit in second place in the conference standings as the Bison look to strengthen their postseason positioning with two regular-season matches remaining.
