WAYNESBURG, Pa. (October 23) – The Waynesburg University volleyball team defeated Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) foe Bethany in five sets for its first conference victory on Wednesday night.
 
The victory takes the Jackets to 5-14 on the season and 1-5 in conference play while the Bison fall to 7-16 on the year and 0-5 in PAC action.
 
Waynesburg won through a score line of 21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-25 and 19-17. The Jackets posted their first five-set win of the season.
 
The first set opened with both teams firing which led to Bethany holding a one-point lead through the first 15 points (8-7). Waynesburg answered with a 6-1 run but was quickly answered by a Bison 6-0 run to retake the lead at 15-13 and force a Yellow Jacket timeout. Waynesburg battled through the set to eventually lead the set at 20-19, but Bethany surged back with a 6-1 run to take a set which had 12 total ties and five lead changes (25-21).
 
The Jackets bounced back to open the second set, going on a 6-2 run to open the frame. The Bison responded with three separate 3-0 runs to hold a two-point advantage in the first 20 (11-9). After a back and forth play, Bethany held a four-point lead at 22-18. Waynesburg exploded with seven-straight points to capture the second set. The effort was spearheaded by three service aces by sophomore Krista Wilson (Greensboro, Pa. / Mapletown)
 
Both teams started the third set trading blows as Waynesburg opened with a 3-0 run which was quickly answered by a Bison 8-1 run to hold a four-point lead (8-4). The Jackets took advantage of a struggling bison squad as Waynesburg went on runs of 13-1, 7-3, and 2-0 to win the third set (25-17). The Jackets were aided by 12 total errors by Bethany throughout the stretch.
 
Bethany opened the fourth set taking a three-point lead on Waynesburg through 15 (6-9). The Jackets fought to keep close, only being behind by two at 14-12. The Bison never gave up their lead and used runs of 5-2 and 6-2 to take the fourth, 25-16.
 
The fifth set opened in a neck and neck battle as both teams were tied within the first 10 points, (5-5) and another series of Bison errors allowed Waynesburg to take the lead at 13-10. Bethany battled back with a 4-0 run to snag the lead and take the game to match point, but a back and forth stretch which saw three ties and three more match points stretch out the contest. Junior Riley Ruffley (Bedford, Pa. Bedford) struck a service ace to capture the set and win the game at 19-17.
 
Offensively Waynesburg spread the attack with Emma Hyatt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels Area), Madi Dayton (Ridgeley, W. Va. / Calvary Christian), Paige Mortimore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brentwood) and Kristina Zadrozny (McDonald, Pa. / West Allegheny) all having seven kills. Ruffley led the team with 16 assists while senior Paige Cousley (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Chartiers Valley) helped with nine. Wilson picked up four service aces on the night while Coulsey found three.
 
Senior Jordan Stein (Manor, Pa. / Norwin) led the Jacket defense with 33 digs and was assisted by Ruffley with 13, Cousley with 12 and Junior Macee Cree (Garards Fort, Pa. / Mapletown) with 11. Dayton and Mortimore had 10 digs respectively as the Waynesburg defense posted 113 digs, a season high. Hyatt and Mortimore led the block party with each recording five, Dayton totaled four blocks to help towards a team total of 11, another season best.
 
The Jackets take on Westminster in a conference matchup at home on Saturday.