WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 12) – The Waynesburg University women's volleyball team traveled to Westminster on Thursday night to face off with the Titans. The Yellow Jackets showed tremendous resolve and roared back from being down two sets to one to earn a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
 
The win was a historic one as it ended a 32-match losing streak for Waynesburg (8-10, 1-2) against Westminster (12-8, 2-2), with the last Orange and Black victory coming in 2005.
 
The Titans opened the contest by taking set one 25-20. The Yellow Jackets bounced back by taking set two 26-24, but Westminster rebounded in a big way with a 25-12 triumph in set three. Despite suffering a lopsided setback, the Jackets didn't give up and forced a fifth set with a gutty 25-23 win in the fourth.
 
Set five saw the two conference rivals split the first 10 points. Waynesburg took control with four-straight points. Senior Mickayla Baniaga (Kalihi, Hawaii / Kamehameha Schools Kapalama) got the surge going with a kill followed by an ace. A Titan error followed to make the score 8-5, before junior Emma Hyatt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) made it 9-5 with her second-to-last kill of the match.
 
Westminster responded to Waynesburg's challenge with five of the next seven points to cut its deficit to 11-10. The Jackets capitalized on a Titan service error that opened up a match-ending 4-0 surge that ultimately clinched the win for the visitors. Freshman Kristen Zadrozny (McDonald, Pa. / West Allegheny), a service ace by freshman Kendal Ellsworth (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) and a block by freshman Carissa Krall (Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop) set off a Jacket celebration.
 
Offensive balance was a key to Thursday night's win. Hyatt and sophomore Paige Mortimore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brentwood) tallied a match-high 15 kills each, while Zadrozny put down 13. Sophomore Riley Ruffley (Beford, Pa. / Bedford) and Ellsworth helped out the attack with 29 and 23 assists, respectively. Those were the top two totals for either team of the night.
 
Defensively, the Jackets got a magnificent effort from junior Jordan Stein (Manor, Pa. / Norwin), who piled up a match and personal season-high 45 digs. That total also ranks second amongst all conference performers this year.
 
Waynesburg will look to carry the momentum from Thursday night's win into a Saturday showdown with Washington & Jefferson at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Start time is scheduled for 11 a.m.