WILMINGTON, Ohio - Trailing two sets to none, the Wilmington College volleyball team rallied to win the third set 25-22 over Franklin College, but the Grizzlies returned to their form of the first two sets in a 3-1 (25-13, 25-11, 22-25, 25-13) victory to spoil the Fightin' Quakers' home-opener on Wednesday evening.
Wilmington recorded 10 kills in the first set, but couldn't keep up with Franklin's .433 attack percentage as the Grizzlies recorded 13 kills and zero errors on 30 attack attempts. In set two, the Quakers hit a negative attack percentage while the visitors tallied 13 kills for the second consecutive set.
The hosts broke through with their first set victory of the season in set three thanks to a dozen kills and holding Franklin to just a .028 attack percentage. Wilmington could not keep up the high level of play in the fourth set, however, as it returned to a sub-.000 attack percentage while Franklin hit a .346 clip.
Mariella Szrom led Wilmington offensively with 11 kills and no errors on 19 swings for a .579 attack percentage. She also chipped in defensively, recorded three blocks. Jacie Koontz and Alyssa McKenzie split the setting duties, combining for 19 assists while libero Morgan Householder had a team-high 13 digs.
Franklin finished hitting .279 as a team. The trio of Kyra Harvey, Kyndall Boyll and Lexie Gifford combined for 35 of the team's 47 kills while libero Libby Stahl added a match-high 20 digs.
Wilmington (0-3) returns to action at the 2018 Quaker Classic hosted by Earlham College this weekend.
