October 6, 2007
O'Brien Tallies Her 1,000th Career Kill
O'Brien Also Sets Conference Record For Kills In A Three-Game Match

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Senior outside hitter Katherine O'Brien (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) achieved her 1,000th career kill and set the Centennial Conference record for kills in a three-game match as Washington College split a tri-match with Muhlenberg and Delaware Valley on Saturday afternoon at the Cain Athletic Center. The Shorewomen fell to Cetennial rival Muhlenberg, 3-1 (30-19, 30-26, 19-30, 30-12), while downing Delaware Valley, 3-0 (30-27, 30-18, 31-29). O'Brien reached 1,000 kills against Muhlenberg and set the record for kills in a three-game match versus Delaware Valley. In the other match of the afternoon, Muhlenberg downed Delaware Valley, 3-1 (27-30, 30-17, 30-15, 30-26).

O'Brien is just the second Washington College (8-11, 0-4 CC) volleyball player to achieve 1,000 kills. Katie Bierzonski had 1,286 from 1997-2000. O'Brien got her 1,000th kill in the third game against Muhlenberg (9-13, 1-4 CC) to put the Shorewomen up 11-7.

With her 28 kills against Delaware Valley (7-10), O'Brien broke the mark set by Franklin & Marshall's Jen Power. Power set the mark with 24 kills in a three-game match against Monmouth on September 21, 1996. She had 12 kills in the third and final game to set the record. With the score 17-14 Washington, she pounded her ninth kill of the third game to set the new mark. She now has 1,035 career kills.

"It's a great honor (to reach 1,000 kills)," stated Shorewomen head coach Louie Richardson. "And O'Brien knows it was a team effort. She can't do what she does without the team - especially with Caitlin Ward's setting. We've had a special player for four years."

In the opening match, the Mules won the first two games before Washington grabbed the third game. Muhlenberg clinched the victory with a 30-12 win in the fourth game. Jess Anselmi led the Mules with 20 kills, while Megan Young had a match-high 19 digs. Megan Eiser dished out a team-best 31 assists.

For the Shorewomen, O'Brien had a double-double with a match-high 22 kills to go with 12 digs. Junior libero Arielle Brown (Merion, PA/Lower Merion) had a team-best 15 digs. Sophomore setter Caitlin Ward (Wantagh, NY/Holy Trinity) passed out a match-high 40 assists and added 11 digs, while junior Chelsea Crum (Newark, DE/Charter School of Wilmington) had 12 digs.

In the final match of the day against Delaware Valley, the Shorewomen won the first two games, but trailed 29-28 in the third game before winning the last three points and the match. O'Brien closed out the three-game victory with a service ace. In addition to her 28 kills, O'Brien also tallied 14 digs to record her second double-double of the afternoon. Freshman outsider hitter Lauren Feeny (Upper Darby, PA/Villa Maria Academy) added 11 kills, including the go ahead kill in the third game to put Washington up 30-29. Brown led the team with 20 digs, while Crum added 14. Ward dished out a match-best 52 assists in the win.

For the Aggies, Kate Klish recorded a match-best 32 digs and Andrea Wolf led the team with nine kills. Bonnie Zobel had 23 assists in the contest.

In the middle match, Muhlenberg spotted Delaware Valley the first game before winning the final three to win in four games. Eiser had a triple-double for the Mules with a match-best 37 assists to go with 11 kills and 11 digs. Liz Dean led the squad with 14 kills, while Young had a team-best 19 digs.

For Delaware Valley, Wolf had a match-high 18 kills, while Klish had a match-best 22 digs. Zobel had a double-double with 35 assists and 10 digs.

The Shorewomen return to action on Wednesday, October 10, when they travel to Ursinus for a 7:00 p.m. match in Centennial Conference action.

MUHLENBERG VS. WC MATCH STATS

DELAWARE VALLEY VS. MUHLENBERG MATCH STATS

DELAWARE VALLEY VS. WC MATCH STATS