Maria Bellinger’s Career High Pushes Delaware to 3-2 Win over Elon

Sunday, October 7

Elon, NC

1:00 PM

University of Delaware

Elon University

Maria Bellinger’s Career High Pushes Delaware to 3-2 Win over Elon

10/7/2018 4:31:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Bellinger posted 34 kills

By: Mike Scholze

ELON, N.C. – Behind a career-high from junior Maria Bellinger, the Delaware volleyball team took home a 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13) win over Elon for the team's first Colonial Athletic Association win of the year. The Blue Hens improved to 7-11 and 1-5 in the CAA while Elon dropped to 8-9 and 0-6 in the league.

"It was a great team win by us today," head coach Sara Matthews said. "We have talked a lot about what our identity is and how we need to play like ourselves with energy and intensity. The group did a much better job of maintaining that. I thought Courtnie (Roberts) did a great job distributing the ball. Maria (Bellinger) was obviously huge and she has really expanded our tool box. Bailey (Pearlman) came up so big for us in key moments. Finally, Andie (Hanus) was just exceptional in the back row anchoring our defense. Having 34 digs and 11 assists is fantastic. We are going to enjoy this feeling and get back after it preparing for next weekend."

Bellinger posted a career-best 34 kills on 68 swings. She was absolutely scorching today with a .397 attacking clip. With the match tied at 13-13 in the fifth set, she produced the final two kills of the set to win the match.

Three Blue Hens would hit double-digit kills as junior Cailey Bracken and junior Bailey Pearlman added 15 terminations each. Senior Brooke Robertson produced eight of her own while sophomore Courtnie Roberts had two and Julia Hayes had one.

Junior Andie Hanus was spectacular on the back line with 34 digs today, which was her season-high. Bracken posted her 10^th double-double of the year after adding 10 digs to her 15 kills. Roberts had her ninth double-double of the year with 12 digs added to her 47 assists.

Roberts' 47 helpers was a match-high and her best in CAA play this season. She directed the offense to a .278 hitting percentage and 75 kills. UD outhit Elon .278-.266 while Delaware outkilled Elon 75-68. Hanus posted a double-double as she added 11 helpers to her 34 digs, while senior Abby Skryd had 10 assists of her own.

Sophomore Julia Hayes had six blocks, her best during CAA action. Pearlman posted four blocks in the win, including one solo stuff. Bellinger had three blocks, Robertson had two and Bracken had one.

Delaware took the first set 25-20. UD took an early 6-2 lead after a 3-0 that had two Bellinger kills and one from junior Bailey Pearlman that forced an Elon timeout. Both teams traded points all the way til 13-12, when the Phoenix was able to get the set within one. Junior Cailey Bracken pushed the lead back to 17-13 and although Elon would get the set within one once more, Delaware would win 25-20 after Bellinger registered a kill.

Elon took the second and third sets 25-22 and 25-20. In the fourth set, UD would go up early 5-2 after a senior Brooke Robertson ace capped a 3-0 run. Teams would trade points all the way until 11-6, when Pearlman recorded an ace. Elon tied the set at 13-13 and both teams went back-and-forth until 23-23. Pearlman put UD up with a solo block and then she would win the set for the Blue Hens with a kill.

The Phoenix grabbed the first set of the fifth set but UD would fight back for a 5-3 advantage after a 4-0 run. Elon would find themselves up 12-9, but after a UD timeout Delaware tied the set with a 3-0 run after a kill from Pearlman, ace from Pearlman and attacking error. Elon went up 13-12 but Delaware won the match after a bad set from Elon and back-to-back Bellinger kills.

UP NEXT
Delaware will return home to face Northeastern on Friday, Oct. 12. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be played in the Carpenter Sports Building instead of the Bob Carpenter Center.