WILMINGTON — Comebacks were in the air at Ursuline Academy on the night of Sept. 26. In all three sets, the Saint Mark’s volleyball team took a substantial lead over the Raiders, and Ursuline refused to go quietly. But the Spartans kept their cool, holding off the opposition in a 3-0 seep.
Set scores were 25-17, 25-23, and 26-24.
A kill from Maddi Way gave the Spartans a 10-3 lead in the first set, and although Ursuline closed to within three on a block by Juliette Cummings, this one belonged to Saint Mark’s. After that point, the Spartans got a blast from Ava Borcky, a Taylor Holly ace and a tip kill from Blakely Stawicki after an improbable dig by Way.
The second set looked like it would end quickly, but that certainly did not happen. Saint Mark’s scored 13 straight points to take a 17-3 lead, an impressive streak that included contributions from several players, including Lauren Mehelas, who chipped in with two kills and a block.
The margin remained at 14 at 23-9 when Way surprised Ursuline with a set over the net that fell. But the Raiders, instead of looking toward the third set, flipped a switch. Caitlyn McGonigal got them started with a blast, and C.C. DeCaro and Cummings combined for the next three points. The Raiders scored 10 straight, and Laffey-McHugh Gymnasium was electric.
Defense helped get the Spartans to set point. Holly hit the floor to pancake an attack, and Saint Mark’s turned that into a kill. But Cummings continued with her tremendous set. She scored the next three points, cutting the Spartans’ lead to two and prompting a timeout. DeCaro smashed a kill on the next rally, and the Raiders were down just one. Saint Mark’s, however, took the set on a service error.
Some big hits from Borcky, along with aces from Way and Holly, helped the Spartans build 12-7 lead in the third. Way began a 3-0 run, surprising the Raiders with a push, to extend the lead to 16-8. Ursuline bounced back with a 6-1 stretch that featured back-to-back aces from McGonigal, along with a Cummings stuff, to cut the Spartans’ lead to 18-16.
Ursuline eventually took a 22-21 lead, but Aubrey Rosa tied it up with a cross that danced along the tape. Way followed with an ace, and Rosa added another kill to send it to match point. Two swings from DeCaro tied it again at 24, but those were the final points for Ursuline. Reagan Garibaldi’s block gave the Spartans match point for the second time, and a Borcky bomb won it.
Borcky led the Spartans with 10 kills, while Mehelas added nine. Way had three kills, three aces and 25 assists. Saint Mark’s (6-0) plays the second of five straight on the road on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at St. Elizabeth.
For the Raiders, Cummings finished with 11 kills and three blocks. DeCaro had nine kills. Grace Burns led the way with 24 digs. Ursuline (5-2) wraps up a five-math home stand on Thursday at 6 p.m. vs. Padua.
All photos by Mike Lang.
