Lebanon Valley def. Widener 3-0 (26-24, 25-8, 25-21)
 
How It Happened
Lebanon Valley cruised to a 3-0 victory over Widener with playoff seeding on the line on in MAC Commonwealth volleyball action on Wednesday evening inside Sorrentino Gymnasium. The Dutchmen improved to 13-9, 4-2 MACC, while the Pride fell to 13-15, 3-3 MACC.

The opening set was close early on with LVC clinging to a 7-6 advantage. The Dutchmen went on to score three out of the next four to increase their lead to 10-7, and later to 13-8. Widener, however, fought back and scored four consecutive points to come to within one of the Dutchmen at 13-12. The set remained back-and-forth until the Pride opened up a two-point lead at 20-18 thanks to a 3-0 run. Widener continued to lead all the way until 24-23 when LVC scored the final three points of the set, including back-to-back kills from Reily Shelly and Jess Attieh to win the first set 26-24.

The Dutchmen blew past the Pride in the second set 25-8 and left no doubt in the middle frame. LVC opened up an 11-2 advantage in the second, and later extended it to 22-7. With the Dutchmen up 22-8, Attieh recorded two straight kills and Jayna Class finished off the Pride with a service ace as LVC took a commanding 2-0 lead after a dominant set.

The Dutchmen began the third set similarly to the second, as LVC opened the final set with a 9-4 run, forcing a Widener timeout. The Pride used the mini break to their advantage and fought back to come to within a point of the Dutchmen at 16-15. After an LVC timeout, a Widener attack error followed by an Amanda Sides kill put the home team up by three at 18-15. Later in the set, the Pride came to within three at 23-20, but Attieh finished off Widener in style with a kill to make it 24-20, and then after the Pride got a point, Attieh ripped another kill to give LVC a 25-21 win in the set and a 3-0 match-win.
 
Inside the Numbers
 - Attieh ended with 14 kills (.344), 1 block assists, and three digs.
 - Sides was also in double digits in kills with 11 (.526), and Shelly chipped in eight kills.
 - Jensen Burnheimer led with a match-high 39 assists while adding eight digs.
 - Emily Smeltz added eight digs, while Carli Sholl dug out seven balls.
 - Class and Mikiah Sangrey registered two service aces apiece.
 - Claire Kaufmann led the way for the Pride's offense with nine kills.
 
Playoff Push
LVC is currently tied with Messiah for the No. 3 spot in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. Stevenson (6-0) and Arcadia (6-1) sit in the top two spots, respectively.
 
Who's Next?
LVC heads to Scranton on Friday for the Royals' Tri-Match. The Dutchmen battle the hosts at 5 p.m. before taking on Gallaudet at 7 p.m.
 
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