Raleigh, NC -- The William Peace University women's volleyball team defeated NC Wesleyan 3-1 on Monday, October 14th. The Pacers now improve to 15-7 overall and 5-4 in the conference.

In the first set, NC Wesleyan would take an early 4-2 lead over the Pacers. A kill by Brienna Laskowski would tie it up 4-4. The first set would be a back-and-forth battle, with the Battling Bishops holding a slight advantage as they led 10-9. Laskowski would again tie up the set for the Pacers with a kill, but NC Wesleyan continued to have the edge over WPU. An attack error would tie it at 17, but the Battling Bishops put on the pressure to gain a 21-18 lead. Kills by Emerson Scollo and Brittany Carpenter would bring WPU back into the set as they trailed 21-20. NC Wesleyan would tally a few consecutive points and clinch the set 25-22.

The Battling Bishops got out to a quick 3-0 lead in the second set before Abby Benton could put the Pacers on the score sheet. A kill by Paige Emore would cut NC Wesleyan's lead to 5-3. An ace by Brienna Laskowski would tie it 7-7, while a kill by Brittany Carpenter gave the Pacers an 8-7 advantage. WPU would then go on an offensive roll as they grabbed 4 in a row to lead 12-8. The Pacers continued to hold the edge as an ace by Logan Moore gave them an 18-14 advantage. An ace by Mya Parks would increase the Pacer lead to 22-16 and WPU would take the set 25-16 to tie the match at one.

In the third set, the Pacers struggled at the beginning of the set as NC Wesleyan took at 6-0 lead, but an ace by Abby Benton would cut their lead to 6-2. A kill by Nancy Gamewell would bring the Pacers within two as they trailed 7-5. A block by Paige Emore and Brittany Carpenter would tie it up at nine. The Battling Bishops went on a short run to tie the set 14-14 before taking a 17-16 lead, but an ace by Abby Benton would bring the score to 18-18. The rest of the set was a tight contest as it remained tied at 23, but the Pacers notched the last two points to win 25-23 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Nancy Gamewell would get the Pacers on the board quickly with a kill and the Pacer offense would continue rolling to lead 5-1 in the fourth set. A kill by Abby Benton would put the Pacers up 11-5. An ace by Sarah Scott would give the Pacers a 16-8 advantage. WPU held the offensive edge as another kill by Nancy Gamewell increased the Pacer lead to 20-12. A late push by the Battling Bishops would cut the Pacer lead to 21-16, and a kill by Brienna Laskowski would finish the set 25-18.

The Breakdown

• Brienna Laskowski led with 18 kills, while Sarah Scott contributed 20 assists.
• Abby Benton had 19 digs and Jasmine Smith recorded 4 blocks.

The Foes

• Haileigh Riesenbeck led NC Wesleyan with 4 aces and 21 assists.
• Hannah Thrasher recorded 9 kills.

What's Next
The Pacers will host their second tri-match of the season on October 19th as they compete against USA South Conference opponents Mary Baldwin College and Salem College. The games are scheduled for 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Hermann Athletic Center.