PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Ursinus Women's Volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (17-25, 16-25, 25-23, 17-25) contest to Johnson & Wales in their 2025 season opener on Friday evening.
Senior
Mel Eglinton led the Bears with a team-high 11 kills while adding six digs. First-year
Lauren McGinn posted six kills in her collegiate debut with three digs and senior
Erin Dychdala paced the offense with 11 assists while posting nine digs and two digs.
The Wildcats took an early 6-2 lead in the first set and eventually extended it out to a 10-4 advantage. Ursinus worked their way back into the set and eventually cut it down to three points at 13-10 after an attack error. However, the Wildcats won seven of the next nine points to go up 20-12 and eventually 23-14. Ursinus rallied with three straight points before Johnson & Wales ended the set with back-to-back points.
Ursinus won the first point of the second set, but the Wildcats scored eight straight points and eventually held an 11-3 advantage. Johnson & Wales extended its lead to as many as 11 points at 18-7 before the Bears ran off six straight points to get back within 18-13. The Wildcats staved off the run by taking six of the next seven points to go up 2-0 in the match.
The Wildcats won the first three points of the third set until the Bears won four of the next five points to tie the set at four. Ursinus won six of seven points after trailing 7-6 and went up 12-8. The Bears continued its momentum by taking three straight points following a Wildcats point and went up 15-9. The Wildcats won four of the next five points to make it a 16-13 set and the Bears responded to go up 20-16. Johnson & Wales pulled within one point at 20-19 and Ursinus won three of the next dour points to go back up 23-20. The Wildcats won three straight to tie the set at 23 before a kill from Eglinton and an attack error forced a fourth set.
Ursinus ripped off eight straight points after the Wildcats scored the first three points of the fourth set and went up 8-3. However, Johnson & Wales won 14 of the next 18 points to go up 17-12 which ultimately seized control of the set and match. The Bears would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
The Bears return to action tomorrow, August 30th as they will play two matches in a tri-match against Suffolk and host UMass Dartmouth starting at 10:00 a.m.
