GRANTHAM, PA – The York College volleyball squad post a come-from-behind victory 3-2 victory over Messiah College in the season opener Wednesday night in Grantham, PA. The set scores were 18-25, 20-25, 25-18, 25-15, and 15-10.

The Spartans started off the season in less than impressive fashion as they found themselves on the short end of a 2-0 deficit. York came roaring back in the third set, keeping the match alive. They forced a fifth set with another strong set in the fourth before closing out the win in the fifth.

The veteran Spartans received a number of strong efforts in the season lid-lifter. Junior captain Heather Bucher as the outside hitter recorded a team-high 11 kills. She had an impressive all around match with 13 digs, five block assists, and four service aces. Senior middle hitter Alishia Waltermyer was the other Spartan in double figures with 10 kills while she was very good at the net with seven block assists. Sophomore libero Ashley Rineman was outstanding as she notched a match-high 29 digs while she also had four service aces, which tied Bucher for the match-high.

Junior setter Cortni Rentzel handed out a match-high 37 assists in addition to four digs and a service ace. Senior middle hitter Alysse Beshore added eight kills as she hit a match high .389 with just one error in 18 attempts. Beshore led the Capital Athletic Conference in attack percentage last year as she has picked up where she left off in 2009. Beshore also had a solo block and a pair of block assists. Junior Julie Coombs was also solid all around with 16 digs, eight kills, two service aces and two block assists. Freshman Jessica Moyer came off the bench in her Spartan debut and notched eight digs and five kills in her three sets played. She provided a nice spark for York in her initial collegiate contest.

Cassy Diamond led Messiah with 12 kills while Lauren Rees added 10 kills of her own. Megan Wise led the Falcons with 20 digs while Jessica Geib had 35 assists and 15 digs for the double-double.

The Spartans finished the game hitting .143 as a team while they had just seven service errors and two ball handling errors in the match. Messiah hit .056 for the night.

York returns to action on Saturday when they travel to McDaniel College to face the Green Terror and Elizabethtown College in a tri-match. The action is slated for a 1:00 pm start.

Photo: Ashley Rineman led the Spartans with 29 digs in the win over Messiah