Cedarville Volleyball Shines on Senior Day, Win in 4 Sets

By: Julia Swain

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the Cedarville volleyball team took down Trevecca Nazarene University, winning their second match in as many days. The Lady Yellow Jackets finished with a 3-1 win, winning the first set, dropping the second, and taking the last two to win the match. 

The match began with a ceremony to honor the four seniors Riley Hensley, Payton Krahn, Mallory Delamater, and Hannah Willow. All four were escorted by family and friends onto the court and were celebrated for their accomplishments during their time with Cedarville. 

“I’m really proud of our seniors, [they’ve had] four really great years here,” said head coach Greg Smith. 

Although it was senior day, freshman Cassi Shields had a day of her own, with a season-high in both kills (23) and points (24). This adds to her team-leading total of 286 kills. 

Seniors Riley Hensley and Mallory Delamarter also had fantastic matches. Hensley finished with 12 kills, two blocks, and five assists, while Delamarter had three aces and 13 digs. Freshman Kaley Matney also contributed 51 assists to the cause, bringing her above 1000 assists on the season. 

These performances and a solid team performance overall give Cedarville confidence heading into the G-MAC tournament. 

“We’ve got some momentum going into the tournament next week,” Smith said. “We’re excited, everybody’s in the same boat, and everybody’s 0-0 going into the tournament.” 

Cedarville will play next in the G-MAC tournament that will kick off next Thursday in Ashland, Ohio. 

Julia Swain is a freshman journalism student. She likes listening to Taylor Swift, watching sports, and playing sand volleyball in her free time.