Swarthmore Volleyball Loses Battle to Widener 3-1 in ECAC Tournament
CHESTER, Pa. - Swarthmore (19-11, 6-4) lost 3-1 to Widener (22-15, 5-2) in an all out offensive shootout in its opening round ECAC tournament match on Wednesday night at Widener. Sophomore Genny Pezzola led the Garnet with 16 kills and 15 digs. The loss closes out the Garnet's most successful season in program history.
The Garnet finished its season 19-11 and 6-4 in the conference.
The Garnet started out cold in the first set of its first ever ECAC tournament game when Widener won 25-14. Swarthmore nerves were quickly forgotten about in game two as the real battle began. The Garnet and the Pride went back and forth trading points with five lead changes in set two before the Garnet put away two back to back points to win it 25-23.
Set three wasn't much different as both squads fired shots back and forth and put on spectacular defensive displays to exchange the lead another five times. The Garnet offense pinpointed its attack throughout most of the set, posted 16 kills and led for the majority but Widener's offense sparked late to rally back for the win 25-22.
Swarthmore needed to win set four to keep the match and its season alive. Once again both offenses fired on all cylinders to keep the set close until the Pride stepped it up late in the set to pull away from the Garnet and go up 22-14. Swarthmore made a late surge to tack on three points but fell short losing the set 25-17 and the match 3-1.
Pezzola and freshman Kat Montemurro led the attack for the Garnet combining for 29 kills while senior Kearney Bangs (14) and freshman Allie Coleman (23) anchored the offense with 37 assists, accounting for all but two of the teams assists.
On the defensive end Swarthmore posted huge numbers again with four players hitting double digit digs. Pezzola had 15 digs, Bangs had 13 digs and sophomore Lisa Shang and Coleman each had 10.
Although the Garnet suffered the loss, the team celebrates its most successful season in program history finishing 19-11 and 6-4 in the conference, winning the Garnet Classic, placing second in the Greyhound Premier, winning its first Centennial Conference playoff match and being selected to play in the ECAC South Region Championship tournament.