University of Dayton Athletics

DAYTON – The University of Dayton volleyball team defeated Davidson with a four-set win on Friday night, winning three consecutive sets (27-29, 25-15, 25-22, 25-16).

The match was hard-fought from the jump, with 10 tie scores and six lead changes. A late four-point run gave the Flyers set point at 24-23 on a block by Abigail Cresse and Charlotte Vinson, but the Wildcats were able to take the first set.

Dayton bounced back in the second set, jumping ahead to a 15-7 lead on a five-point run, featuring an ace for Natalie Harrington and a pair of kills for Cresse. Still leading at 21-15, a four-point run tied the match at a set apiece.

Davidson took early leads in the third set, but the Flyers were able to tie things up, going from down 19-18 to leading 21-19. Tied at 22 all, kills for Kaleigh Meritt, Kamryn Hunt and Cresse took the third set for the Flyers.

In the fourth, Dayton held the Wildcats at a distance, taking an 18-10 lead. Cresse earned match point and recorded her ninth kill of the night before the Flyers won the match on a Davidson attack error.

BY THE NUMBERS
3 – Flyers with double-digit kills: Kamryn Hunt (15), Kaleigh Meritt (14) and Charlotte Vinson (10)

29 – Assists for freshman Natalie Harrington

3 – Aces for both Rylee Sloss and Harrington

8 – Block assists for Abigail Cresse, setting a season high

19 – Digs for Hunt, followed by Harrington with 11

11 – Team blocks for Dayton, compared to Davidson's five

UP NEXT
The Flyers will square off against Davidson at 1 p.m. in the Frericks Center on Saturday.