Palo ace lifts Dickinson volleyball past Gettysburg

CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson volleyball team fought hard for five sets and was rewarded with the win over conference rival Gettysburg on Wednesday night behind 21 kills from Mallie Thomas, 36 digs by Avery Butcher, and the match-winning ace from Amanda Palo.

First set

• The set was tied at 9 after 18 points when the Red and White scored four straight and seven of nine points to take a 16-11 lead, getting three kills from Thomas in that stretch.
• A Caroline Cusson ace and two Bullet attack errors expanded the Dickinson lead to 20-14.
• The Bullets cut their deficit to two at 20-18, and again at 21-19, but an Emery Fishbach kill and three straight aces from Kylie Schner gave the set to the Devils.

Second set

• Two early kills from Emma Bradshaw helped the Bullets jump out to a 5-3 lead.
• Kills by Currie and Thomas helped Dickinson cut the Gettysburg lead to 7-6 before the Bullets responded with three straight points themselves highlighted by a Halle Feth ace.
• The Devils answered a second Bullet 3-0 run with their own 4-0 run featuring kills from Thomas and Schner and a block courtesy of Fishbach and Schner.
• A kill from Eliza Jauregui gave the Bullets a 20-17 lead, and while the Devils cut it to 20-19 on a block from Fishbach and Lora Flynn, the visitors scored the final five points of the set behind two aces from Feth and a kill by Bradshaw to tie the match at one set apiece.

Third set

• A Jauregui kill gave the Bullets a 6-3 advantage, but the Red and White scored on 11 of the next 14 points, getting three kills and a block from Cusson in that stretch.
• The Dickinson lead was as big as 19-13, but the visitors took the lead, going on a 10-3 run highlighted by three Ava Grall kills.
• The Devils responded, getting kills from Thomas, Schner, and Jessica Currie before an ace from Butcher closed the set in Dickinson's favor, 26-24.

Fourth set

• This set was tied at 5 to start, but a 5-0 Gettysburg run capped off by a Grall ace put the visitors out in front.
• The hosts took four of the next five points behind three kills from Schner.
• The Bullets responded, taking an 18-10 lead on another run highlighted by two more Feth aces.
• Thomas added two more kills and an ace and Fishbach recorded another block, but a Jauregui kill closed the set in favor of the visitors, forcing a decisive fifth set.

Fifth set

• A Cusson ace gave the Devils a 4-2 lead before two Ellen Manke kills separated by a Schner kill brought the advantage down to 5-4.
• Fishbach gave the Red and White the next point with a kill, but the Bullets rattled off three straight to take the lead at 7-6.
• A Thomas kill gave the lead back to Dickinson at 9-8, but three straight Bullet points again gave the visitors a two-point lead.
• The Devils brought the Bullets to the brink on a Currie kill, setting up match point, but Gettysburg responded with kills by Grall and Manke to tie the set at 14.
• A Currie kill set up match point again, and Palo's serve landed between multiple Gettysburg players for an ace to close the set and match in Dickinson's favor, 16-14.

Dickinson leaders

Team statistical leaders for Dickinson were not listed.

Opponent leaders

• Kills: Bradshaw, Manke (15 each)
• Digs: Nala Shearer (24), Grall (21)
• Assists: Feth (31), Kaitlyn Hedrich (28)

Dickinson (14-7, 3-2 Centennial) will host the Fords of Haverford College in a conference matchup on Saturday afternoon for Homecoming, Senior Day, and the team's 50th anniversary celebration. First serve is set for 1 p.m.