DANVILLE, Va. (Sept. 2) – The Waynesburg University volleyball team opened the 2023 season with four matches over two days at the Cougar Classic, which was hosted by Averett University. The Yellow Jackets posted a 1-3 record that included a victory in their season debut.
Match 1: Waynesburg 3, Hollins 1
The Yellow Jackets (1-3) got the season off on the right foot with a 25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 25-13 victory over Hollins (0-4). A big reason for the win was the play of freshman
Krista Wilson (Greensboro, Pa. / Mapletown), who powered down a match-high 13 kills with a .344 hitting percentage.
Sophomore
Riley Ruffley (Bedford, Pa. / Bedford) and senior
Trysten Smith (Senecaville, Ohio / Shenandoah) helped out the Jacket attack with 12 and 11 assists, respectively. Junior
Jordan Stein (Manor, Pa. / Norwin) paced the Waynesburg defensive efforts with a contest-best 17 digs. Sophomore
Paige Mortimore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brentwood) chipped in 11 digs to go along with five kills.
Junior
Emma Hyatt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) was a true weapon behind the service line, where she piled up eight aces, to go along with a match-high five blocks.
Match 2: Randolph 3, Waynesburg 0
A solid two-way effort from Hyatt wasn't enough to guide the Yellow Jackets past the Wildcats (3-1). She went for six kills and three blocks, both of which where team highs. Once again, Ruffley and Smith paced Waynesburg in assists with eight a-piece. Stein logged her second-straight double-digit dig output with 15.
Match 3: Roanoke 3, Waynesburg 0
Hyatt and Wilson tallied six and five kills each, while Hyatt added three more blocks to her weekend total. Ruffley helped out with eight assists against the Maroons (2-2), while Stein posted a match-high 12 digs.
Match 4: Averett, 3, Waynesburg 0
The Yellow Jackets ended their weekend trip down south by battling the host Cougars (3-1). Junior
Madisen Dayton (Ridgeley, W.Va. / Calvary Christian) and freshman
Kristina Zadrozny (McDonald, Pa. / West Allegheny) tied for the team lead with five kills each.
Ruffley added nine more assists to wrap up her team's Virginia trip, while Stein made it a perfect four-for-four in double-digit digs with 11.
Waynesburg returns to the court on Thursday, Sept. 7, with a road trip to Penn State Shenango. Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
