Shorewomen Volleyball Defeated by Gettysburg in Conference Opener

The Washington College Volleyball team squared off against the Gettysburg Bullets in their first conference game. It was a tough match from the start, and despite some gritty moments, the Shorewomen ended up dropping the contest 3-0 to Gettysburg.

Want the play-by-play? You can check out the official game recap for all the details.

Match Overview

The Shorewomen actually opened strong, snagging the first point of the match with a kill from Giselle Kleinbussink. Gettysburg answered fast, though, and jumped ahead 8-2 before anyone could blink.

Washington struggled to put together scoring runs, only managing to score back-to-back points twice in that first set. The Bullets took advantage and ran away with it, finishing the set 25-13.

First Set: A Tough Start

Things looked promising for a split second after that opening point, but Gettysburg’s aggressive style really set the tone. The Shorewomen just couldn’t keep up with the Bullets’ scoring streaks.

Gettysburg closed out the first set 25-13, and the pressure was on for the rest of the night.

Second Set: A Glimmer of Hope

The second set felt different—Washington actually led 6-4 early on and showed they could keep pace. The set turned into a real battle, with the Shorewomen even pulling ahead 20-18.

Big plays from Izzy Diehl and Allison McKechnie pushed them close to taking the set. But a service error let Gettysburg tie things up at 24-24.

Alexis Stubbs nudged the Shorewomen ahead 25-24, but Gettysburg clawed back and took the set 27-25. That one stung—it felt like it could’ve gone either way.

Third Set: Closing the Match

Gettysburg came out swinging in the third, opening with a 7-0 run. The Shorewomen fought back, with kills by Diehl and McKechnie, plus three aces from Stubbs, and suddenly it was 7-6.

But Gettysburg rattled off another seven straight points, making it 14-6. The rest of the set was pretty even, but that early hole was just too deep.

The Bullets closed out the set 25-19 and sealed the match.

Key Players and Statistics

Even with the loss, a few Shorewomen really stood out:

• Giselle Kleinbussink: 10 kills
• Izzy Diehl: 8 kills
• Alexis Stubbs: 19 assists

Kleinbussink’s kills and Diehl’s offense kept things interesting, and Stubbs racked up assists and aces. Those moments mattered, even if the scoreboard didn’t show it.

Looking Ahead

With this one in the rearview, the Shorewomen (13-5, 0-1 CC) are already turning their attention to Bryn Mawr. They’re back at home on Wednesday, October 8th, at 7 PM.

This next match is a chance to regroup, tweak a few things, and—hopefully—put one in the win column. They could really use a confidence boost right now.

Areas for Improvement

The Gettysburg match made a few things clear:

• They need to string together more consistent scoring runs
• Cutting down on service errors would help
• Holding onto momentum in big moments is key

Sharpening up in these areas during practice should help as they move forward. The season’s still got a long way to go, so there’s time to figure it out.

Conclusion

The Washington College Volleyball team dropped their conference opener to Gettysburg. Honestly, it stings a bit, but there’s plenty to take away from this first matchup.