WILMINGTON — Top-ranked Ursuline used strong defense and an outstanding service game to defeat Indian River, 3-0, on Sept. 7. The set scores were 25-17, 25-18, and 25-11.
The Raiders got 12 aces, with Sydney Davis leading the way with five. The Raiders and Indians had some long rallies in the first set, but a kill on a second hit by Cassidy Markel gave the Raiders an 11-7 lead. Raychel Ehlers kept the Indians in the set with a back row kill to cut it to 20-15. Avery Brown and Markel had kills, and an unforced error ended the first set.
The Indians started fast in the second set behind Ehlers, who had four kills and two blocks as they led 9-3. A diving dig by the Raiders’ Davis, however, that went over the net for a kill seemed to sway momentum. Ursuline went on a 12-4 run after that play to take a 15-13 lead behind aces from Markel and Kaitlyn Burns. Kylie Nocket and Emma Popham had kills later in the set as the Raiders pulled away to take a 2-0 lead.
The hosts were just too strong in the third set as Nocket and Brown had some early kills, and three aces from Davis set up match point. Popham ended the match with a thunderous kill.
The Raiders (2-0) were led on offense by Nocket, who had 10 kills, while Popham added nine. Markel had a solid match with three kills, four aces, eight digs and 23 assists. The Raiders will have 10 days off before they face Tower Hill at home on Sept. 17 at 7:15 p.m.
The stats for the Indians were not posted late Saturday night. Unofficially, Ehlers finished with 12 kills and three blocks. The Indians (0-1) will host Cape Henlopen on Tuesday afternoon at 5:15.
