KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Behind career performances from
Kassidy Phillips (22 kills),
Erin Treis (40 assists) and
Lauren Hiestand (36 digs), William Woods (16-7) battled back from the brink against an Avila University team that is tougher than its 4-13 record indicates. The Owls rallied from a 24-21 deficit in the fourth set to take a 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 18-25, 31-29, 16-14) match win from the Eagles.
After dropping a back-and-forth first set, William Woods opened the second set with nine straight points with
Kennedy Flanner at the service line.
Luciana Paiva Pereira was a big part of the WWU run, knocking down two kills and adding a block assist with
Lauren Adams. Avila was able to string together a couple of short spurts to close the gap, but WWU easily knotted the contest at 1-1.
In the third set, Avila responded with a late 8-1 run to retake the match lead at 2-1, and closed in on the match win, but back-to-back kills from Adams followed by a Paiva Pereira kill guaranteed that the fourth set would be decided in extra points.
Avila and Woods went kill-for-kill and error-for-error for another five points before WWU was able to get Avila out of system and earn set point at 30-29.
Emma Austin sent the match to a deciding set with a soft touch through the Eagles block.
The fifth set opened much like the first, a back-and-forth battle that saw Woods finally take advantage after winning the race to eight as part of a 5-0 run. The Eagles were able to answer back from a 12-6 deficit to take a match point lead at 14-13.
Phillips rocketed a kill from the left pin to tie the match at 14-14, and an outstanding serve by Hiestant left the Eagles flailing with the cross-court effort going wide opposite.
After taking its second timeout of the set, Avila was able to stay in system on the next rally, but Adams and Paiva Pereira were rock-solid in the block, giving Sydney Owens nowhere to go but into the block and back down for an Owls win.
Phillips was one of four Owls with double-digit kills, as she was joined by Adams (17), Paiva Pereira (13) and
Federica Borsero (12). Phillips's kill total is the fifth-best single-game overall total and tied for fourth-highest in a five-set match, and the team total of 73 is fourth-best in program history. WWU also matched the second-best assist total in program history, with the 72 helpers equaling the Woods' performance against Williams Baptist on Nov. 2, 2007.
After the gritty win, William Woods returns to Anderson Arena for an extended stretch, beginning with the WWU Midseason Quad. The Owls take on Georgetown College on Friday night, closing out the opening day with a 7 p.m. first serve.
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