Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – It took Gettysburg just an hour and five minutes to dispose of Centennial Conference (CC) foe Swarthmore in volleyball action on Thursday night in Hen Bream Gymnasium, 3-0. The Bullets (19-5, 6-0 CC) remained the only undefeated team in the CC and hold the inside track for home-court advantage for the playoffs, while the Garnet (12-14, 3-1 CC) dropped their first conference match of the season.

With the sweep, Gettysburg extended its current winning streak to 13 matches, the last five by 3-0 finals. The Orange and Blue also remained perfect against Swarthmore at 22-0, winning the last 20 by way of a sweep.

The Bullet attack was led by juniors Jessica Cortese (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) and Erin Barkdoll (Dover, PA/Dover) with 15 and 10 kills, respectively. Cortese also added nine digs. Sophomore Shannan Smith (Milmont Park, PA/Ridley) contributed 38 assists, while junior Nicole Barr (Annapolis, MD/Broadneck) steadied the defense with 12 digs. Freshman Hillary Prutzman (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) had a strong night at the net with five kills and a team-high five total blocks. Senior Michelle Dorsch (Frederick, MD/Gov. Thomas Johnson) tallied a match-high four service aces.

Swarthmore was led on both sides of the net by senior Emma Benn with seven kills and 12 digs. Sophomore Emily Conlon added 20 assists and one block, while junior Natalie Dunphy had two service aces.

Dorsch opened the match strong for Gettysburg, serving the first three points. After a side-out gave the Garnet their first point of the night and an immediate side-out gave the Bullets the serve again, Prutzman served four consecutive points to extend the Bullets' lead to 8-1. Swarthmore pulled to within 12-6 but could get no closer as the hosts cruised to a 30-11 win in the first game fueled in large part by six kills from Cortese and 12 set assists by Smith.

The Garnet opened game two with three straight service points from senior Sarah Donovan. The match evened at 4-all off a Swarthmore attacking error before a back-and-forth battle ensued for the next ten points.

With the game knotted at 9, a long volley finally ended when Barkdoll put down a Smith set to give Gettysburg a 10-9 advantage. That point proved to be the turning point in the second game. Barr and Dorsch combined to serve three of the next four points in the game and give the Bullets a 13-10 lead.

Holding a slim 19-17 advantage, sophomore Jayme Massey (Springfield, PA/Merion Mercy Academy) took the serve for Gettysburg and extended the lead to 24-17, helped greatly by three of Prutzman's four total blocks in the game. Swarthmore pulled it to within 25-20, but could get no closer as the Bullets went on to take a 2-0 lead in the match with a 30-22 win.

Game three started much the same way game two began, only this time the visitors lead swelled to as much as 5-1 early in the game.

After a serving error by the Garnet gave the hosts the serve trailing 7-4, sophomore Erica Rau (Oakland Park, FL/Pine Crest) helped her team pull back even with three straight service points. A Cortese kill gave the Bullets the serve back trailing 9-8. Massey's lone block of the match, and Gettysburg's lone block of game three, brought the game even once again at 9-all. Two Barkdoll kills off Smith sets within the next Bullet run made it 12-9 for the hosts.

More strong serving from Dorsch and freshman Steph Vial (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic), aided in part by a pair of Cortese kills, gave the Bullets some breathing room at 17-12. Swarthmore could only get as close as 20-15 the rest of the way, and Gettysburg continued to extend its lead in the game taking the game and the match with a 30-18 final in game three.

Gettysburg returns to action on Friday at MIT against Nazareth. Match time is 7 p.m.

Gettysburg def. Swarthmore, 3-0 (30-11, 30-22, 30-18)
Gettysburg Leaders:
Kills: Jessica Cortese 15, Erin Barkdoll 10. Assists: Shannan Smith 38. Digs: Nicole Barr 12, Cortese 9, Steph Vial 6. Service Aces: Michelle Dorsch 4. Blocks: Hillary Prutzman 5, Barr 2.

Swarthmore Leaders:
Kills: Emma Benn 7. Assists: Emily Conlon 20. Digs: Benn 12. Service Aces: Natalie Dunphy 2. Blocks: Conlon 1.

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