ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa.-- The Elizabethtown women's volleyball team opened at home for the 2023 season in exciting fashion as they defeated Misericordia, 3-1, Tuesday evening. 

The Blue Jays' 17 total team service aces is now tied for seventh in team match records in program history. Kambrie Hepler and Georgianna Kahley each contributed five aces each. 

Misericordia came out in set one with a 7-3 following an Elizabethtown attack error. The Blue Jays then rallied for the next four points to tie it up at 7-7. After trading points, Etown gained momentum tallying eight straight points. Cougar errors, two Helper aces, and a Gracie Britten kill gave Etown the, 20-13 lead. Etown ended the set on a 5-3 run to win, 25-17. 

Set two saw Elizabethtown start out front as they led 9-3 early. Kills from Katie Scaggs and Karlee Ray gave them the lead. The Blue Jays then jumped out to a 15-6 lead after kills by Kahley and Britten followed by two straight aces from Kahley. The Cougars managed to come within six of the Blue Jays after a kill. Two Etown kills sandwiched another ace, brining the Blue Jays to set-point. Misericordia added two more points before a block from Jena Minnick and Britten ended the set at 25-18. 

Set three started off with the two teams trading points until the Blue Jays tallied four in a row to take an 11-6 lead. The Cougars gained some momentum to coming within two of the Blue Jays. A Ray and Bitten kill sandwiched a Cougar attack error to give Etown a five-point lead. Misericordia closed out the set with six straight points to win set three, 25-23. 

Etown came back in set four to start off with a four-point lead after a Hepler ace. After some back-n-forth, Scaggs smacked down a kill to make the score, 12-9. Four consecutive points from the Cougars then four consecutive points from the Jays brought the score to, 17-13, Etown. Scaggs and Savannah Lesley added kills on the run. Misericordia came within three of Etown before the Jays went on a 5-2 to end the set, 25-20. 

Kahley led the team with eight kills, five aces, and four block assists. Ray and Scaggs each totaled six kills. Hepler totaled 17 digs while Minnick grabbed 15 assists. 

The Blue Jays are back at home this Thursday, September 14 at 7PM as they host Penn St.-Altoona.