ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College women's volleyball team opened the 2026 season in impressive fashion on Tuesday night, defeating Alvernia University in straight sets (3-0) at Sorrentino Gymnasium. The victory gave the Flying Dutchmen a winning start to the new campaign in front of their home crowd.
LVC controlled the match throughout the evening, using a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive play to secure the sweep. The Dutchmen set the tone early and maintained momentum across all three sets to earn their first victory of the season.
The win marks a strong beginning for Lebanon Valley as the team looks to build on its preseason preparation and carry momentum into the opening weeks of the schedule.
Sophomore setter
Sofia Rios sparked the offense throughout the opening frame, while
Libby Lindau and
Riley Mack helped power the attack. LVC also received a huge boost from the service line, where
Molly Thomas delivered three consecutive aces during a six-point run that stretched the Dutchmen lead to 12-6.
Alvernia trimmed the deficit to 15-13 midway through the set, but LVC responded emphatically. A service run by
Teaguen Reynolds turned a tight contest into a runaway set as the Dutchmen rattled off the final 10 points. Reynolds contributed three service aces during the closing surge, while the LVC defense forced a series of Alvernia attack errors en route to a 25-13 opening-set victory.
LVC faced an early challenge in the second set as Alvernia built a 2-0 lead and later tied the score at 11-11. The Dutchmen responded behind a balanced attack from
Hadley Sparks, Lindau, Mack, and
Jillian Jefferys, with Rios directing the offense. Lebanon Valley gradually created separation before using a late 6-2 run to close out a 25-18 second-set win.
Looking to complete the sweep, Lebanon Valley took control early in the third set. Consecutive points from Lindau and Chestnut pushed the Dutchmen ahead, and Sparks added a service ace during a five-point run that stretched the lead to 10-6. Alvernia cut the deficit to 17-15, but LVC responded with a decisive 8-2 closing run. Lindau recorded back-to-back kills during the stretch, Mack added a pair of kills, and Sullivan's service ace set up match point before an Alvernia attack error sealed the 25-17 victory.
Inside the Box
- Mack led the Dutchmen attack with 10 kills and a .273 hitting percentage, adding seven digs and a block assist for 10.5 points.
- Sparks contributed eight kills, two service aces, and nine digs, finishing with 10.0 points in an all-around performance.
- Reynolds impacted the match in multiple ways with four kills, four service aces, and four digs, totaling 9.0 points.
- Lindau was highly efficient offensively, recording seven kills on .313 hitting while adding three block assists.
- Jefferys chipped in four kills and was a force at the net with three total blocks.
- Rios sparked the offense, dishing out 16 assists while adding a kill and three digs.
- Jasmine Sullivan guided the attack with a match-high 11 assists, while also recording two aces and four digs.
- Thomas anchored the back row with a team-high 10 digs and matched Reynolds for the team lead with four service aces.
- Lebanon Valley totaled 35 kills, 32 assists, and 14 service aces.
- The Dutchmen held Alvernia to a .014 hitting percentage while posting a .202 team hitting percentage.
- LVC recorded 47 digs and eight total blocks (two solo, six assists).
- Five players recorded at least four kills, and four different players registered multiple service aces, highlighting a balanced team effort.
Up Next
Lebanon Valley returns to action this weekend at the Margie Knight Classic in Salisbury, Maryland. The Dutchmen will take on Muskingum University on Friday evening at 6 p.m. before facing Drew University and host Salisbury on Saturday.
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