Blue Hens Finish Retriever Challenge With Win Over UMBC

Saturday, September 7

Baltimore, MD

2 p.m.

University of Delaware

5-0

University of Maryland Baltimore County

2-0

DELAWARE

UMBC

Blue Hens Finish Retriever Challenge With Win Over UMBC

9/7/2019 4:58:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BALTIMORE – Delaware women's volleyball wrapped up the Retriever Challenge with a 3-1 win (18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-15) over host UMBC Saturday afternoon inside the UMBC Events Center, extending its win streak to five matches.

The Blue Hens' 5-1 record to open the 2019 campaign is their best start since 2010, when they won the Colonial Athletic Association championship. The Retrievers fell to 2-4 on the season.

Senior outside hitter Maria Bellinger led all attackers with a season-high 29 kills in addition to five digs and a pair of blocks. The reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week was incredibly efficient, hitting .393 for the match.

Freshman setter Ezgi Basaranlar had the most productive match of her young career, dishing 54 assists while adding three aces at the service line. Freshman Lani Mason, the reigning CAA Rookie of the Week, joined Bellinger in double digits with 16 kills on 30 swings to go with eight digs. Senior libero Andie Hanus led the match with 17 digs.

Bellinger and Basaranlar were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts in the Blue Hens' three wins across the weekend.

Delaware rallied to tie the first set at 13-13 after UMBC opened the match by scoring the first five points, but the Retrievers used a 6-1 run to pull away and eventually claim the first frame.

The Blue Hens regrouped in the second set, hitting .486 as a team in the period. UMBC fended off four set points before a kill from freshman middle Ayala Plummer evened the match at a set apiece.

With the third set tied at 22-22, a pair of Retriever errors and a Bellinger ace on set point gave the Blue Hens a 2-1 lead. Delaware was at its most efficient in the fourth set, hitting .500 as a team. After UMBC cut its deficit to 12-11, the Blue Hens used an 8-1 run to extend the lead to 20-12, effectively putting the match out of reach. An ace by Hanus gave Delaware its fifth straight win.

While the two teams were even in blocks (11-11) and aces (6-6), Delaware pulled away with an advantage in hitting percentage (.333-.319), digs (48-40) and assists (59-44).

The Blue Hens next travel to San Antonio, Texas for the UIW Cardinal Classic from Sept. 13-14, where they will face Niagara, Northern Illinois and host Incarnate Word.