Volleyball Falls in Five Sets to Wichita State

Saturday, September 11

Lawrence, Kan.

12 PM

University of Delaware

Wichita State

Lauryn Richardson sets the ball into the air

9/11/2021 2:47:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Delaware volleyball team dropped a five-set match to Wichita State on Saturday afternoon to close out the Kansas Invitational.

"I thought this weekend was really good for us from a competition standpoint," head coach Sara Matthews said. " We got pushed and learned some things about ourselves and areas where we can get better. I'm excited to get back in the gym this week and prepare for conference play."

It was the first-ever meeting between the Blue Hens (5-4) and the Shockers (5-1).

Savannah Seemans paced the Blue Hens' attack with a team-best 16 kills. The sophomore added nine digs and four aces to her stat line. Lauryn Richardson also logged double-digit kills after posting 11.

Lily Rogers served as the primary setter for Delaware and the sophomore flirted with a triple-double after recording 35 assists, 12 digs and eight kills, while hitting a team-best .467. On the defensive end, Katie Turner had a team-high 18 digs with Lani Mason adding 11. Mason additionally notched seven kills.

SET ONE
Back-to-back kills by Seemans made it a two-point game, 11-9, but Wichita State put up four unanswered and began to build separation. Delaware trimmed the deficit to five, 19-14, but the Shockers closed out the set on a 6-2 run.

SET TWO
The second set was a back-and-forth battle as the two sides continuously traded points. Delaware led late, 20-19, and outscored the Shockers 5-1 the rest of the way to secure the 25-20 set win.

SET THREE
The Blue Hens led by one, 9-8, before scoring four unanswered to grab a 13-8 advantage. The Shockers battled back to make it a one-point game, 14-13, but the Blue Hens answered with five straight points to go ahead by six. A 10-3 run by the Shockers gave them the slight 23-22 lead, but kills by Rogers and Seemans gave the Blue Hens match point. However, Wichita State scored to even the score before back-to-back blocks gave the Shockers the 26-24 set win.

SET FOUR
Wichita State held a slim 6-5 advantage before Delaware went on a 9-2 run to gain the lead. The Blue Hens maintained their lead for the remainder of the set and grabbed the 25-20 win. The Blue Hens hit .364 as a team in the set, their most efficient of the match.

SET FIVE
The Shockers took control of the fifth set right after starting it on a 10-5 run. A Kirah Johnson kill sparked a 5-1 Delaware run that brought the Blue Hens within one, 11-10. However, Wichita State closed out the set to grab the 15-11 win.

UP NEXT
Delaware returns to the Bob Carpenter Center on Sept. 18 to host James Madison for the CAA opener slated for 1 p.m.