SANDUSKY, Ohio (August 30) – The Waynesburg University volleyball team opened its season at the Great Lakes Cross Over at the Cedar Point Sports Center in Ohio.

The Jackets won back-to-back sets after dropping the opening frame against Olivet before fall in five sets in the season opener. Waynesburg fell to Monmouth in three sets in the nightcap.

Game 1 – Olivet 3, Waynesburg 2 (25-19, 21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-8)

The Comets led wire-to-wire in the first set and used a 6-1 spurt to turn a three-point lead (11-8) into an eight-point advantage before taking the opening frame 25-19. 

The Jackets took advantage of six-straight Olivet errors to open the second set. Kills by Krista Wilson (Greensboro, Pa. / Mapletown) and Madi Dayton (Ridgeley, W. Va. / Calvary Christian) keyed an 8-1 run that put Waynesburg ahead 18-5. Olivet staved off five set points before the Jackets claimed the set 25-21. 

Waynesburg raced out to a 7-0 lead in the third set with Kristina Zadrozny (McDonald, Pa. / West Allegheny) providing a pair of kills, along with Paige Mortimore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brentwood) and Rayanna Baniaga (Honolulu, Hawaii / Sacred Hearts). Olivet crept back within three (16-13) before a 5-1 run pushed the Jackets up 21-14. Following a time out, the Comets scored the next five points to narrow the tally to 21-19. Waynesburg called time out and notched four of the next five points to clinch the set 25-20.

After Olivet committed 22 attack errors over the first three sets, the Comets had just three miscues the rest of the way. Waynesburg led 11-8 in the fourth set before a 12-0 run by Olivet swung the set to the Comets.

In the fifth frame, the Jackets went ahead 4-1 before eight-straight Olivet points proved to be the difference in the 15-8 final score as the Comets escaped with the win.

Zadrozney led the Jackets with a dozen kills at a .222 clip. Wilson and Mortimore followed with seven kills apiece. Baniaga had 16 assists while Riley Ruffley (Bedford, Pa. / Bedford) added 12 assists. 

Jaina McWilliams (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Northrop) led the squad with four aces and 16 digs in her collegiate debut.

Game 2 – Monmouth 3, Waynesburg 0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-15)

The first set was deadlocked at 18 when Monmouth went on a decisive 4-1 spurt to pull away for the 25-22 set one win. The Fighting Scots used a pair of five-point runs to take control of the second set and outscored the Jackets 15-5 after being tied at 10 in the third.

Wilson paced the Jackets with five kills and Dayton had four. Jordan Stein added 13 digs. Monmouth had a strong game at the service line with 14 aces.


The Jackets conclude their run at the Great Lakes Cross Over tomorrow against Kalamazoo and Bluffton.