Muhlenberg College Athletics

In a long match that featured several career-best performances, the Muhlenberg volleyball team toppled Widener in five sets.

The five sets were decided by a total of 15 points, with the Mules (5-6) winning 25-20, 22-25, 26-24, 23-25, 15-12. It was the closest five-set match for the Mules since 2018. After not playing a five-set match all of last season, Muhlenberg has already played three this fall.

The Mules went on the attack in the fifth set, scoring their first eight points on kills – three each by juniors Abigail Oswari and Ansley Asche and two by freshman Lizzie Steinkamp – in opening up a 9-3 lead.

Widener (1-7) got as close as two points, at 11-9, but Muhlenberg scored the next three, one on a combined block by senior Kelliann Keogh and sophomore Andrea Romero-Agosto.

After squandering three match points, the Mules finally ended the marathon on Steinkamp's fourth kill of the set. 

Steinkamp finished with career highs in both kills (17) and digs (14). Her high in kills has inched up from 15 to 16 to 17 in the last three matches, and she committed only three errors in each contest. 

Oswari recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 10 digs, finishing one off her career high in kills. Romero-Agosto added 11 kills and Asche a career-high 9.

Senior Jenny Ryan dished out a season-high 33 assists and served during a pivotal sequence in the third set. The Mules trailed 24-20 and were one point away from going down 2-1 in the match before scoring the final six points, two on aces by Ryan, two on kills by Romero-Agosto, and on set point a block by Romero-Agosto and Asche.

Junior Emma Laskaj (pictured above) blew past her previous career high of 17 digs, finishing with 23.