Box Score PHILADELPHIA – Playing its final ever home match at Bobby Morgan Arena, the USciences volleyball team produced a fitting ending with a five-set comeback win over city-rival Chestnut Hill on Wednesday evening.
The festivities started with a ceremony honoring seniors Bianca Galis, Natalia Velez and Caelin Jaskot, the latter of whom made history on the night by becoming the fourth student-athlete in program history to surpass 1,500 career assists.
When the match started, Chestnut Hill had the upper had the upper hand after winning two of the first three sets, 25-18, 22-25 and 25-20.
The Griffins seemed well on their way to a four-set victory as they were ahead 22-18 late in the fourth, but Jaskot sparked a comeback with two blocks in a 5-0 surge, sandwiching a Sydney Lawless service ace.
Velez capped the run with a kill and after CHC staved off a first match point, a Jennifer Marrero kill sent the match to a fifth set.
From there it was all USciences, as the Devils scored the first four points – two each by Velez and Marrero - en route to leading my multiple points throughout.
A Tori Wright kill later in the set began a stretch of five straight Devils points, which featured three Wright aces, and the fifth ended 15-6.
Wright led all players with 20 kills and three blocks, while falling one dig shy of a double-double.
Jaskot had three blocks too, while leading USciences with 26 assists.
Velez was second on the Devils with 14 kills, and Galis was third with eight.
Velez added 10 digs for her ninth double-double in 11 matches, while also leading all players with a career-best five aces.
University of the Sciences had double the amount of service aces than Chestnut Hill, 15-7.
Angeli Roman Medina tied Velez for the team-lead with 10 double-doubles on the year, finishing with 19 assists and a team-high 11 digs.
Marrero and Kerrigan Clem matched Wright and Jaskot with three blocks.
Marrero notably ended the night third in the program's single-season history with 59 block assists this year, while also moving into ninth all-time with 105 for her career.
Lauren Lim was also in double-figures with 10 digs.
University of the Sciences plays it final-ever volleyball match at Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division leader Bloomfield this Saturday at 12 p.m.