Caldwell University Athletics

CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University volleyball team battled back to defeat Holy Family University, 21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-22 in the quarterfinals of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Tuesday evening in the George R. Newman Center. With the win, the Cougars (21-10) advance to face Wilmington University in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 14.

Holy Family (12-19) took a 1-0 lead in the match with a 25-21 victory in the first set. The Tigers looked to make it a 2-0 advantage by building a 17-10 lead in the second set. But Caldwell fought back, eventually taking a 20-19 lead en route to a 25-21 victory. Senior right side Erica Harrell (Richardson, TX/Plano East) led the way with three kills. The third set also saw the Tigers take control early with a 12-9 edge. Again Caldwell regrouped and regained the upper hand, reeling off 16 of the final 19 points for a 25-15 win. Freshman middle blocker Narae Wadsworth (Reno, NV/Wooster) led the way with four kills in the set.

Caldwell erased a 6-1 deficit in the fourth set to pull even. The two teams were not separated by more than three points after that, with Holy Family eventually leading 21-20. A kill by Harrell and an ace from senior libero Jaclyn Del Cid (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) put the Cougars on top, 22-21, then kills by freshman Megan Gerali (Lakewood, CO/Lakewood) and Harrell closed out the 25-22 win and the match.

Senior setter Athena Nestoras (Los Angeles, CA/St. Monica) tallied a team-best 10 kills to go with 19 assists, seven digs and three aces. Harrell and sophomore outside hitter Rachael DiLeonardo (Cincinnati, OH/Mount Notre Dame) each had nine kills, with DiLeonardo adding 15 digs and five blocks. Freshman setter Gabrielle Bennett (San Antonio, TX/Johnson) added 17 assists and 14 digs. Del Cid, who was named the CACC Defensive Player of the Year earlier this week, kept the ball off the floor with several outstanding plays and registered 32 digs to pace the defense. Rachel Johnson tallied 13 kills and 12 digs for Holy Family.

Caldwell will play Wilmington, which swept Dominican in its quarterfinal match, on Friday, Nov. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in the CACC Tournament semifinals, hosted by Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J.

CU – 21 25 25 25
HFU – 25 21 15 22

2014 CACC Volleyball Tournament
Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 11
N1 Caldwell 3, S4 Holy Family 1
S2 Wilmington 3, N3 Dominican 0
S1 Georgian Court 3, N4 Bloomfield 2
N2 Post 3, S3 Philadelphia 0

Semifinals – Friday, Nov. 14 (Georgian Court, Lakewood, N.J.)
S1 Georgian Court vs. N2 Post, 1:00 p.m.
N1 Caldwell vs. S2 Wilmington, 3:30 p.m.

Finals – Saturday, Nov. 15 (Georgian Court, Lakewood, N.J.)
Semifinal winners, 12:00 p.m.