Dukes Drop 3-2 Heartbreaker at Delaware

Sunday, October 12

Newark, Del.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

10-9, 2-4CAA

Delaware

10-11, 3-3CAA

James Madison

Delaware

10/12/2014 3:29:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. - The James Madison volleyball team bounced back from a pair of one-set deficits, but dropped a tough, 3-2 decision at Delaware on Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore outside hitter Kate Whitmire (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) led the way for JMU (10-9, 2-4 CAA), setting a new career record with 18 kills on a .429 attack percentage. Junior outside hitter Meghan Niski (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) racked up 15 kills of her own, while junior setter Sarah Patterson (Roanoke, Va/Hidden Valley) tallied 48 sets on the afternoon.

In the first set, the two squads went back and forth through much of the frame. JMU used a 5-1 run to take a 21-16 lead, but Delaware ripped off a 9-2 run to come back and take the set, 25-23. The second set saw the Dukes use an early 5-1 run to take a 10-6 lead and a second 5-1 run to go up 18-11, before trading points down the stretch to close out the set, 25-17, and even the match at 1-1.

The Blue Hens won the first five points of the third set to seize the momentum. JMU battled back twice, closing the lead to 17-16 and 23-22 before Delaware got two straight points to triumph, 25-22. The fourth set was very tightly-contested, with the two teams racking up 10 ties in the first 28 points. The Dukes used a 7-1 run to take a 20-15 lead and did not look back, closing out the set at 25-18.

In the decisive fifth set, Delaware again took an early lead, jumping ahead 8-3 before the Dukes roared back to tie things at 8-8 with five straight points. However, the Blue Hens were able to end the set with their second 7-2 run of the frame, closing out the match with a 15-10 win.

Junior defensive specialist MacKenzie Kleespies (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) turned in yet another solid defensive performance for the Dukes, picking up 29 kills on the afternoon, her ninth straight double-digit performance.

JMU will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 17, when they return home to face Northeastern at 7 p.m., the first match of a three-match homestand.