For immediate release – 10/21/2015 - #084
Wojciechowski Spurs WildCats to Comeback Victory

LYNCHBURG, VA – Noelle Wojciechowski hit a remarkable .500 percent for the game as the Randolph College volleyball team came from down a set to defeat Bridgewater College 3-1 on Wednesday night.  The WildCats won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) match 11-25, 25-15, 25-23, and 25-23.

Bridgewater came out and went on an early run in the first, building the lead until the eventual win.  But switching sides of the court, greatly fired up the 'Cats.  Following a 4-4 tie early in the second, the WildCats won six straight points.  Rebecca Lesnak had two kills, Alex Mariona recorded an ace, and Wojciechowski notched a kill and a block.  Randolph continued to control the set, taking eight of the next 11 points, with a kill each from Wojciechowski, Jasmine Tapscott, Elisabeth Price, and two by Autumn Troxell.  BC made an attempt at a comeback, cutting the deficit to four, but the WildCats closed out the match with six in a row, thanks to Wojciechowski (two kills, one solo block, and one assisted block) and Lesnak (one kill and one assisted block).

The next two sets proved to be much tighter affairs than the first two.  After the 'Cats jumped out to a 4-1 advantage, the Eagles came right back to take a one-point lead.  Randolph answered with three straight as Lesnak and Gillerlain found open spots on the opposing side.  Bridgewater controlled the next series of points, taking a lead at 13-11, but the WildCats countered to tie it at 13, once again with Wojciechowski recording a kill.  The teams exchanged points until a tie occurred at 18, before Lesnak and Wojciechowski finished passes from Gillerlain for the two-point lead.  Randolph held the advantage until BC knotted the score at 23.  But Andrea Mewhinney found Autumn Troxell on the next two points to give the 'Cats the third set.

The teams traded the first four points before Lesnak slammed home a Gillerlain pass.  Wojciechowski blocked an opposing attack and Mariona recorded a kill, as the advantage went to 6-2 in the fourth.  The Eagles answered and the game became much closer.  Both sides found themselves tied seven times over the next 14 points before Bridgewater could pull ahead.  BC pushed the lead all the way to four at 21-17, but the WildCats followed suit with their own run.  Troxell and Mariona recorded kills after an Eagle error putting the score at 21-20.  Following an Eagle kill, Mariona fired home a pass from Gillerlain, Troxell served an ace, and Mariona and Tapscott combined for a block to finally give the 'Cats the lead.  After a point by Bridgewater, Mariona finished the match with two kills.

Wojciechowski had a season-high 13 kills, and finished with four blocks (three solo).  Lesnak and Mariona each added nine kills, while Troxell recorded eight.  Gillerlain and Mewhinney did an excellent job sharing the setter duties, with 18 and 16 assists respectively.  Four WildCats were in double figures for digs.  Price (18) led the contingent, with Gillerlain (11), Mariona (11), and Cassie Maddox (10) also helping out defensively.

Abby Mills had a game-high 15 kills for the Eagles (7-15 overall, 3-7 ODAC).

Randolph (6-19, 2-7) hosts Senior Night on Friday.  Price, Wojciechowski, Maddox, Mewhinney, and Katie Brown will be honored in the pregame ceremonies, as the WildCats host Guilford College at 7 p.m.

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