Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The volleyball team handed the Golden Rams of West Chester University of Pennsylvania the team's first loss of 2025 in a thrilling five setter this evening from Bob Houlihan Court. Molloy improved to 5-1 on the season with the victory while WCU now sits at 4-1.

Molloy 25, WCU 21
Molloy 25, WCU 22
WCU 25, Molloy 23
WCU 25, Molloy 21
Molloy 15, WCU 12

How it Happened

• A theme throughout much of the match, the teams were neck and neck in the opening points. 
• West Chester had a 5-1 run to take a 15-11 lead in the first set. Molloy responded by scoring the next nine-straight on the serving of freshman Haven Trechter.  The run saw two aces and a kill from the rookie as well as kills from senior Ilaria Micol Chiericati, graduate student Julia Zalta, and sophomore Isabella Rios.
• The Golden Rams would come within two, 21-19, but junior Erin Stanley and senior Teresa Moulder combined for three kills to hand WCU the team's first set loss of the season.
• The score was tied seven times in the second set. Leading by one, 20-19, kills from Rios, Moulder, and Zalta helped the Lions to a 24-19 win before another kill from Zalta put the home team up 2-0 on the match.
• Molloy opened the third set on a 5-1 run. 
• WCU worked the score back, eventually tying the contest at 19 before back-to-back attack errors from Molloy put the visitors ahead, 21-20.
• A block from Stanley and Moulder would tie the game again, but the next two points would go to the Golden Rams and ultimately be the two points necessary to take the set victory.
• The Lions would once again start the fourth set in front, 4-1, but West Chester found its groove, taking seven of the next eight points to lead 8-5.
• Molloy would come within one on multiple occasions, but were never able to bridge the gap, forcing a deciding set.
• The score was tied six times through the first half of the fifth set before a kill and block from Abiah Lane and a block from Julia Kwitchoff put the road team in front, 9-7.
• Later, trailing by two, the Lions rallied for a five-point run on three kills from Trechter, one kill and a block from Stanley, and a block from Chiericati to lead 13-10.
• A kill from Trechter sealed the contest in favor of the Lions.

Top Performances

• Zalta led the Molloy offense with a career-high 20 kills, adding 30 assists for a double-double to go with eight digs, two service aces, and a block.
• Trechter followed with a double-double on 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs to go with three aces and a block.
• Rios also had a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs while adding an ace.
• Junior Hayden Riddle led with 32 assists and added six digs.
• Chiericati and Stanley each put up five blocks on the evening while senior Aria Miller topped the score sheet with 23 digs.

Up Next
The Lions are back in action to conclude a season-opening home stand tomorrow (Sept. 13) against Felician University at 12:00 p.m.