THE FACTS
Gettysburg 3, York 0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-19)
Gettysburg 3, Bridgewater 2 (30-28, 16-25, 24-26, 26-24, 15-9)
What: Battlefield Classic
When: Friday, Aug. 30
Where: Gettysburg, Pa. | Bream Gym
THE SKINNY STORY
Gettysburg hit .375 on the attack on the way to a dominating victory over York (Pa.) College to open the 2024 campaign. The Bullets needed some adversity in their second outing of the night, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to upend Bridgewater (Va.) College in five thrilling sets.
THE LEADERS (*stats incomplete from opening set against Bridgewater)
• Junior
Alycen Radolovic (Willoughby, Ohio/Beaumont School) put down 20 kills in the two matches, including a team-best 16 in the five-set win over Bridgewater.
• Junior
Mary Huegel (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck) piled up 11 blocks and 10 kills on the day.
• Sophomore
Erin Gonzalez (Cincinatti, Ohio/Ursuline) paced the Bullets with 11 kills against York.
• Freshman
Clare Farrell (Livingston, N.J./Academy of St. Elizabeth) tallied 13 kills against Bridgewater.
• Freshman
Kierra Fox (Phoenix, Ariz./Rancho Solano Prep) led the defense with 32 digs on the day.
FOR THE FOES
• Jennifer Taylor led York with nine kills and four blocks.
• Faith Depew (13 kills) and Reagan Stoop (15 kills) led Bridgewater's attack, while Faith Shields contributed 22 assists and 13 digs.
THE REST OF THE STORY
• York took an early 12-9 lead in the opening set following a four-point run, but Gettysburg chipped away at the deficit and eventually surged in front 21-16 following a 7-1 spurt. The hosts tallied three of the final four points and put the set to rest on a kill by Huegel. The second set saw the Bullets turn in an incredible run, erasing a 7-5 deficit with a 20-1 scoring streak. Sophomore
Kendall Erpenbeck (San Jose, Calif./Prospect) served 12 consecutive points during the run and assisted on the set-clinching kill by Gonzalez. Set three was a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams rattle off 6-0 runs late in the match. York's six-point streak put them ahead 14-9 and the Spartans led 18-17 following a pair of errors by the Bullets. A kill by Farrell righted the ship for the hosts and kicked off their own six-point run to seize the lead for good. A service error by the Spartans closed the match.
• Bridgewater and Gettysburg battled back and forth throughout their five-set thriller. The Eagles jumped in front with three quick points and went ahead 19-13 on a kill by Stoops. The Bullets chipped away at the deficit, but still trailed by five (22-17) late in the match. A service error by Bridgewater ignited a six-point scoring streak for the hosts, capped with an emphatic block by Holtz and Huegel to make it 23-22. Gettysburg held set-point three times in the next few minutes, but Brigdewater held on and even took the lead at 28-27. The marathon ended with three-straight points by the Bullets with sophomore
Gianna Galli (Demarest, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) slamming down an overpass, Gonzalez hitting a kill off the block, and senior setter
Sophie Nasir (Covina, Calif./St. Lucy's Priory) smacking down the winning kill following a cover by Galli off an attempted block.
• The second set was the only set of the match that wasn't decided by two points. The Eagles jumped in front 13-6 following a 7-0 run and clinched the contest with five of the final six points. Bridgewater jumped ahead quickly in set three with an 8-4 lead, but this time the Bullets had an answer, pulling to within one (11-10) on another block by Holtz and Huegel. A pair of aces by Stoops helped keep her team in front as the Eagles remained in front 22-16. Gettysburg mounted a furious rally, thanks to a strong defensive effort which saw three blocks during a 7-0 run. Following a kill by Huegel, the Bullets held set point, but an ensuing service error tied the match 24-24 and two attack errors by the hosts sealed the win for Bridgewater.
• Gettysburg claimed the final two sets against Bridgewater, but not without a fight. The fourth set featured a total of 11 ties as the teams traded blows. The Bullets led by as many as four early in the frame and Bridgewater held as much as a two-point lead including at 19-17. A timeout by Gettysburg stopped the Eagles and ignited a 5-point run, culminating in a kill by Holtz to make it 22-19. Bridgewater held off set-point three times in the final moments before back-to-back kills by Radolovic sealed the 26-24 win for the Bullets. Gettysburg jumped out quickly in the decisive fifth set with five-straight points. The Eagles tried to dig themselves out of the hole and pulled to within a point at 8-7, but back-to-back kills by Farrell provided the final push for a Gettysburg victory.
THE INSIDE STORY
• Since 2021, Gettysburg has gone 13-1 at the Battlefield Classic.
• A year after finishing sixth in NCAA Division III in blocks per set (2.4), Gettysburg tallied 16 total blocks in its two matches Saturday.
NEXT UP
The second day of the Battlefield Classic will see the Bullets square off with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Susquehanna University at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, on Saturday.
