WVB Splits To Open Play At NEAC North Crossover Weekend

AURORA, N.Y. – The Wells College women's volleyball team picked up a 3-0 victory over the Penn College of Technology before dropping a hotly-contested 3-0 match versus Gallaudet University on Saturday to open the North Eastern Athletic Conference North Crossover Weekend. The Express posted a 3-0 win against Penn College via set scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-22 before losing to Gallaudet by scores of 17-25, 23-25 and 21-25.

With Wells' sixth victory of the year (6-6, 1-1 NEAC), the Express have set an all-time modern-era program record for wins in a season. In 2013, Wells was 5-25 and recorded a record of 3-30 in their inaugural modern-day season in 2012. The all-time school record for wins by a women's volleyball team was 10 (10-11) in 1976.

Against Penn College, Wells was led by 12 kills on 27 attacks by junior Vashti Nettles (Long Beach, Calif.). The transfer student committed only two errors for the Express and also chipped in with two solo blocks and as many block assists. Senior Taryn Heath (Truxton, N.Y.) assisted 34 of her team's 38 kills while classmate Jessilyn Artaho-Aki (Kapa'a, Hawaii) chipped in with 12 digs defensively. Sophomore Meredith Kadjeski (Mechanicsburg, N.Y.) tied for the team lead with two solo blocks.

Kadjeski and Nettles each hammered home eight kills for Wells in the second match of the day against Gallaudet. Heath assisted 30 of her team's 34 kills while Artaho-Aki once again posted a team-best 13 digs. Gallaudet posted a strong opening set, forcing home 12 kills on 32 total attacks without committing an error. Wells committed 12 attacking errors in the second set and a strong 13 kills on 30 total attacks for the Bison elevated the guests to a 3-0 sweep of the Express.

Wells concludes the first NEAC Crossover Weekend of the year with home matches against Bryn Athyn and Penn St.-Berks Sunday, Sept. 21 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Frances Tarlton Farenthold Athletic Wing.