Women's Volleyball Wins Second Straight After Downing Visiting Mount Ida

The Wheaton College women's volleyball team collected its second straight win on Thursday night, when the Lyons turned in a 3-2 (22-25, 25-18, 25-13, 16-25, 15-7) victory over visiting Mount Ida College in a non-conference match in Emerson Gymnasium. 
  
Improving to 4-5 at home, Wheaton is 8-15 overall.  The Mustangs, who entered tonight's match winners in five of their last six matches, fall to 7-12. 
  
Freshman Deirdre Wilson (Aptos, Calif./Aptos) posted her second straight double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs, while classmate Elise Waelder (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma) was a dig shy of a double-double with 15 kills and nine digs. Freshman Arieanne Creighton (Brookline, N.H./Hollis Brookline) added 12 kills. 
  
First-year setters Jackie Kochiss (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) and Page Gustofson (South Lake Tahoe, Calif./South Tahoe) dished out 21 and 19 assists, respectively, with Kochiss and Waelder adding four service aces each. Gustofson, Kochiss and senior Frances Trimble (Rapid City, S.D./Northfield Mount Hermon School) had seven digs apiece, while Waelder and freshman Kendall Jacobs (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) finished with six blocks each. 
  
For Mount Ida, senior Jennifer Ferreira (Shirley, Mass./Ayer) notched a double-double with 19 kills and 14 digs, sophomore Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) handed out 31 assists with 12 digs, and junior Emily Hutvagner (Beacon Falls, Conn./Woodland Regional) added 11 digs. 
  
The opening set saw the Lyons score three of the first four points.  After eight ties ensued, with the last at 14-all, Mount Ida scored five answered points on Peixoto's service and didn't relinquish its lead.  Three straight kills for the Lyons, including two by Waelder, brought Wheaton to within one at 22-21 before the guest tallied three of the final four points. 
  
Trailing 3-0 in set two, Wheaton answered with a 15-4 stretch, including three straight service aces from Creighton to cap the run.  Two Lyon attack errors allowed the Mustangs to narrow their deficit to 16-14, but the hosts rattled off five straight points and eventually finished the set on three consecutive kills, with Waelder recording the winner. 
  
Outside of two early ties, Wheaton led throughout the entire third set.  The Lyons turned a 4-4 knot into a 9-4 edge before eventually leading 20-10.  With a 24-13 advantage, the Blue and White clinched the set following a Mount Ida attacking miscue. 
  
The Mustangs evened the match in the fourth set, turning a two-all tie into a 5-2 lead and never looking back.  Falling behind by a 14-9 count, Wheaton made the score 14-12 but came no closer, as Mount Ida scored six of the set's final seven points to force a fifth and deciding set. 
  
In the final contest, the teams were tied at two before the Lyons scored six of the next seven points for an 8-3 advantage. Leading 12-7, Wheaton sealed the match victory with the night's final three points. 
  
The Lyons travel to Bridgewater State University on Saturday for a tri-match with the Bears and Western Connecticut State University.  Wheaton takes on the host at noon and the Colonials at 2 p.m.