Box Score

The Muhlenberg volleyball team tuned up for a big home weekend contest against Washington by defeating Bryn Mawr in three sets at home.

The Mules needed five tense sets to outlast Dickinson their last time out. Back on their home court, the Mules made things much easier on themselves.

Muhlenberg cruised in the first set, staved off a set point in the second and brushed off a slow start in the third. The Mules (9-5, 3-1) held the Owls to a .087 hitting percentage in winning their third consecutive match.

Freshman Allison Glass led the way with 12 kills for the Mules, while sophomore Katherine Boll added nine kills in just 15 attempts to go along with three blocks. Setters Nikki Dickson and Vanessa Pulice combined for 35 assists for Muhlenberg.

After the Mules took the first set, 25-15, the Owls looked poised to knot the match when they survived two Muhlenberg set points and gained one of their own at 27-26. But sophomore Joanne Josephson put the Mules on her back, rising up for a kill that evened the score and following with an ace that gave Muhlenberg a set point. The Mules then forced Bryn Mawr into an error to close out their longest set of the year, 29-27.

Undeterred, the pesky Owls (10-6, 1-3) won the first four points of the final set and took a 6-2 lead. Muhlenberg stormed back with seven of the next eight, taking a 9-7 lead on an ace by Josephson, and cruised to the finish line, holding off a late charge for a 25-20 victory.

It was the eighth sweep of the season for the Mules, who have won five of their last six matches and are 3-1 in the Centennial Conference for the first time since 2002.

Junior Lindsey Gambocurta joined sophomores Josephson and Sarah Weyhmuller with six kills apiece, and Josephson had three of Muhlenberg's nine aces.

pictured above: Elizabeth Garrison