YORK, PA – The York College volleyball squad opened their stay at the 2010 York College Spartan Volleyball Invitational with a stirring five set win over Johns Hopkins University Friday evening in York. The Spartans, who have now won 12 straight, improve to 13-1 overall while the Blue Jays fall to 8-8. The Spartans won the match 26-24, 25-21, 21-25, 22-25, and 15-7.

In set one, the score was tied at 10 before York went on a 5-0 run to take the 15-10 lead. The Blue Jays drew to within two at 16-14 before the Spartans went on a 5-1 spurt to increase the lead to six. Hopkins answered with a 5-1 run of their own to cut the Green and White lead to two at 22-20. The Blue Jays eventually tied the set at 24 before a Hopkins serving error and an Alishia Waltermyer kill ended the set in favor of the Spartans.

The hosts jumped out to an early second set lead before Hopkins cut the lead to one at 13-12. York then embarked on a 7-1 run to push the lead to 20-13. Hopkins cut the lead to four but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the set as York took the 2-0 lead.

Hopkins jumped on the Spartans early in the third set as they took a 15-10 lead. York eventually trimmed the Blue Jay lead to 21-18 but Hopkins hung on for the 25-21 third set win.

York sprinted out to an early fourth set lead only to see JHU erase the lead courtesy of a prolonged 15-9 run that turned a 10-7 York lead into a 22-19 Spartan deficit. The Spartans made it interesting late as they drew to within one at 23-22 but the Blue Jays got a kill and a service ace to force a fifth set.

In the fifth and deciding set, York jumped out to an early 6-3 advantage. The Blue Jays got no closer as the Green and White cruised to the 15-7 set win.

Junior Heather Bucher and freshman Jessica Moyer paced the Spartans in the win as they each had 14 kills. Moyer hit .364 for the match while Bucher posted a .306 attack percentage to go along with 10 digs, three assists and a pair of service aces. Junior Julie Coombs added 12 kills, 12 digs, six block assists, and a service ace for the Spartans while Waltermyer was the fourth Spartan in double figures in kills with 10.

Sophomore standout Ashley Rineman again led the Spartans' defensive charge as she recorded 27 digs while defensive specialist Jana Arentz contributed 18 digs of her own.  Junior setter Cortni Rentzel handed out 51 assists in addition to registering 13 digs and two block assists.

The Spartans return to action on Friday evening at nine when they face Carnegie Mellon in the night's final match at 9:00 pm.

Photo of Jessica Moyer courtesy of Scott Guise, Director of Athletic Communications