GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Gettysburg College volleyball team clinched its 1,000th win as a program by completing a perfect weekend at its own Battlefield Classic on Saturday.
 
After earning two wins Friday, Gettysburg (4-0) came into the second day of the Classic needing just two victories to reach 1,000. The day started on a down note with a loss in the opening set to Gallaudet University (1-3), but the Bullets rebounded with three dominating sets for a 3-1 (20-25, 25-11, 25-7, 25-19) decision.
 
Facing fellow unbeaten Kenyon College (3-1) led by former Bullet Amanda Krampf '10, Gettysburg turned in its best performance of the tournament, sweeping by the Ladies in three sets 25-11, 25-21, and 25-19. Gettysburg follows McDaniel College as the second program in the Centennial Conference to reach 1,000 wins. The Bullets are 1,000-425-4 (.701 winning percentage) since the program's first varsity season in 1976.
 
Senior Stephanie Blair (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham) reached a milestone as well with her 1,000th career dig. Blair picked up four quick digs in the opening match against Gallaudet to reach the mark and become just the fourth Gettysburg player with at least 2,500 assists and 1,000 digs. Blair was tagged to the All-Tournament Team after totaling 138 assists, 45 digs, 11 kills, eight aces, and seven blocks in four matches.
 
Freshman Allie Stranick (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy) was also named All-Tournament. Stranick posted double-doubles in all four contests and paced the team with 65 kills, including 17 in each of Saturday's contests.
 
Gettysburg managed a perfect mark at its season-opening event for the first time in eight seasons, but Saturday's competition didn't start off well as Gallaudet steadily pulled away in the opening set. After surrendering the opening point in the second set, the Bullets came alive. Gettysburg led by as many as 15 in the second contest and 18 in the third. The Bison nearly erased an eight-point deficit in the fourth set and pulled to 15-14, but Stranick pounded down a kill to reignite the offense and Gettysburg finished the match on a 10-5 run.
 
Stranick led the way with 17 kills to go with 13 digs. Blair picked up 25 assists and 10 digs before sitting out most of the fourth set to rest, while senior Katherine Gilbert (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) put up 22 digs. Senior Maddie Weikert (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) chipped in with nine kills and 14 digs.
 
Gettysburg came out blazing against Kenyon and connected on at least 14 kills in each set of the match. The Bullets blew open a close contest in the opener with a 15-3 run to end as 10 of the points came via kills, including back-to-back spikes by sophomore Kasey Higgins (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) to set the final score. The Orange and Blue trailed briefly to start the second frame, but the deficit dissipated quickly and the hosts would not fall behind again in the match. Higgins closed out the final two sets with attacks on the way to a career-high 16 kills.
 
Stranick posted 17 kills and 10 digs and Blair padded her line with 34 assists and 10 digs. Weikert finished with seven kills and a dozen digs, while Gilbert led the way defensively with 18 digs. Freshman Maddie Buerle (New Providence, N.J./Union Catholic) served up four aces to go along with five digs.
 
Gettysburg hosts Catholic University for a non-conference match on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m.