Lauren Kelly
Lauren Kelly

Brandywine Rallies From Two Sets Down To Win Home Opener

MEDIA, Pa. -- Delaware Valley staved off two set points during each of the first two sets to build a 2-0 lead, but Penn State Brandywine stormed back to win the final three sets and claim a 3-2 (24-26, 24-26, 25-16, 25-20, 15-13) victory during its home opener on Monday night.

Playing its fifth match in the last three days and first of a 13-game homestand following a 14-match road trip, Brandywine was in front 24-22 during the first and second sets; however, the Aggies scored the final four points of each frame, establishing a 2-0 edge.

Brandywine held a 17-16 margin before running away with the third set by scoring the final eight points. Nicolette Napoleon (Springfield, Pa./Penn Charter) and Lauren Kelly (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) both collected two kills and Jade Maloney (Claymont, Del./Brandywine) added a kill and an ace during the surge, helping to keep the Lions alive in the match.

Brandywine continued to surge during the fourth set, collecting the first six points. DelVal trimmed the deficit as close as two points at 21-19, but kills from Napoleon and Julia Miles (Boothwyn, Pa./Chichester), an ace from Maloney and an Aggie error gave sent the match to a deciding fifth set.

DelVal ran out to a 5-1 lead before Brandywine, behind a kill and two aces from Miles and two kills by Maloney, netted five-straight points to pull in front.

The Aggies went back into the lead with four-straight points, but Brandywine rallied to tie the score four times and then took the lead for good when Maloney set down a kill and one point later, secured the victory with her 14th kill of the night.

Maloney added 11 digs, five assists and four aces, while Kelly paced Brandywine with 15 kills and 22 digs. Miles contributed 24 assists, 16 digs and five kills and Napoleon tallied eight kills and nine digs.

Five Lions reached double figures in digs. In addition to Kelly, Maloney and Miles, Becca Civera (Boothwyn, Pa./Chichester) pulled in 12 digs and Sydney Stevens (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. DuPont) registered 16.

Brandywine (5-9, 4-0 PSUAC) goes for a season sweep of Penn State Hazleton on Wednesday at 7:00 PM.