Gwynedd Valley, Pa.- Gwynedd Mercy University hosted Rutgers-Newark where the Griffins and Raiders battled in a close four-set match. Gwynedd Mercy was able to take the first two sets 25-22 and 25-11. Rutgers-Newark refused to go down without putting up a fight as they took the third set 25-22. The Griffins sealed the deal in a fourth set final; 3-1 (25- 22, 25-11, 22-25, 25-20). Senior
libero
Ashley Morris (Quakertown, Pa.) not only finished the game with two points (two aces), but her first dig of the second set allowed her to reach 1,000 digs for her career and the fourth Griffin in program history to do so.
The first set was back and forth with both Gwynedd Mercy (6-11) and Rutgers-Newark (0-12) knotted up 16-16. After the Raiders scored the first point out of the timeout, the Griffins went on to score the next five points giving them a 21-17 cushion before closing out the first set 25-22. Going into the second set, Gwynedd looked to keep the momentum going. Junior outside hitter
Julia Rabe (Virginia Beach, Va.) helped keep the momentum in the Griffins' favor as she would be the server that would lead to six unanswered points and eventually a 25-11 second set victory. Trying to avoid the sweep Rutgers-Newark came out swinging and took an early 14-12 lead over Gwynedd Mercy. With the momentum beginning to go to the Raiders they would go on to win the third set 25-22. Looking to avoid a deciding fifth set the Griffins rallied together and were able to knock off the Raiders with a 25-20 fourth-set victory.
Junior outside hitter
Bria Purnell (Reading, Pa.) finished the match with a team-high 18.5 points (15 kills, three aces, and a block assist). Junior middle hitter
Ashley Brown (Lansdale, Pa.) finished with 16.5 points with 15 kills, an ace, a block assist, and a hitting percentage of .313%. Rabe finished with ten kills and two aces. Morris ended her historic night with two aces and 16 digs.
Gwynedd Mercy University returns to action on Friday, October 7, when they face Immaculata University as they return to Atlantic East Conference (AEC) action for a 7:00 p.m. contest.
