WILLIAMSBURG - Down 13-9 in the deciding fifth set Friday afternoon, the William and Mary volleyball gutted out five straight points and then put away a huge block by Ginny Bray (Cary, N.C.) and Lindsay Kresch (Moon Township, Pa.) to defeate Winthrop 3-2 in the final match of the Tribe Invitational. With the win, the Tribe improves to 1-2 on the season, while Winthrop falls to the same mark.

Box Score

Five players recorded double-doubles for the Tribe in the match, including Kresch's 12 kills and 14 digs. Freshman Paulette Grand Pre (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) had 11 kills and 11 digs in just three sets, capping off an outstanding weekend that earned her all-tournament team honors. For the tournament, Grand Pre had two double-doubles and led the team in kills per set (3.09), ranked second in points per set (3.32), and was third in digs per set (2.73).

Also in the double-double colum was senior Erin Skipper (Yorktown, Va.), who was one of four players with a match-high 15 kills on a .341 attack, and added 10 digs and seven blocks. Classmate Cassie Crumal (Castle Rock, Colo.) and sophomore Molly Krull (Raleigh, N.C.) continued to split time at the setter's position, and each performed very well in gaining double-doubles. Crumal had 22 assists, 11 digs, and an ace, while Krull put together 34 assists, 13 digs, and a similar ace.

Bray tied for the match lead with 15 kills, which also tied her career-best, and had a hand in six blocks for the Tribe. Freshman Celine Alasomuka (Centreville, Va.) continued to grow into the libero's role, posting a season-high 20 digs along with two aces and two assists. Sophomore Shaylin O'Connell (Leesburg, Va.) led all players with eight blocks, and her weekend total of 17 (1.31 per set) was the best of the tournament. Freshman Julia Swalchick (Melbourne, Fla.) earned the first start of her young career, and racked up eight kills and three blocks for the day.

The first set seemed to be going all Winthrop's way for the first two-thirds, as the Eagles found themselves on top 20-14 after one of 12 kills from Kellie Sellers. The Tribe began storming back, however, with eight straight points and nine in 10 serves to claim a 23-21 lead. Bray started and ended the run with kills from Krull, and the run also saw both of Alasokmuka's aces, two kills by Bray and Skipper, and a single kill apiece from Skipper and Grand Pre. An ace from Crumal brought W&M to match point, and she also served up a kill to Skipper that ended Winthrop's late surge, 25-23.

Winthrop again tried to jump out to an early lead in the second set, but the Tribe was much quicker to reel them in and established control for good at 8-6. The Eagles put together several good rallies in the middle of the set to threaten at 17-16, but Bray again kicked the Tribe off onto a 7-0 run that broke the Winthrop charge and all-but ended the set. All that was left was for Crumal to pass to Skipper again to end things at 25-18, and the teams went into intermission with the Tribe up 2-0.

Just like in Friday's loss to Seton Hall, however, the Tribe's opponent this day was able to get out in front early in the third and sieze momentum coming out of the break. The Eagles clung to a small lead through much of the first half of the set, before finally building themselves into a seven-point lead at 18-11. The Tribe caming chipping back into things, however, and tied the match at 22-all on a kill by Swalchick. Winthrop got two quick points to stand at set-point, but a kill by O'Connell and a block from Bray and Swalchick again tied things 24-24. The Tribe were able to tie the set one more time, at 25-25, but were unable to get into the advantage situation and fell 25-27.

The fourth set saw Winthrop jump out early on the momentum of their last-second reprieve in the third, and the College was never able to cancel that out and close the gap as Winthrop cruised to a 25-18 win. Heading into the fifth set, W&M came out of the gate strong and jumped in front 4-1 on a kill from Bray. Winthrop rallied back to take an 8-7 lead coming out a W&M timeout, and kept in front building a 13-9 lead. A huge block by O'Connell and freshman Alexandra Ciaccio (Houston, Texas) stopped the bleeding for the Tribe, and two quick kills from Bray and one by Kresch knotted the set, and by extension the match, at 13-13. With the issue very much in the balance, Ciaccio delivered on her only kill of the match to put W&M in the lead on the cusp of victory. Winthrop called a timeout to try and regroup, but Bray and Kresch quickly put an end to the match with their block, the 14th of the match for the Tribe.

William and Mary returns to action next weekend, hosting its second tournament of the year. The Tribe will welcome Campbell, American, and Hampton to Kaplan Arena for the Colonial Challenge, beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 3rd.

2010 Tribe Invitational Final Standings
1. Wisconsin 3-0
T2. William and Mary 1-2
T2. Winthrop 1-2
T2. Seton Hall 1-2

2010 Tribe Invitational All-Tournament Team
Elise Walch, Wisconsin
Dominique Thompson, Wisconsin
Janelle Gabrielsen, Wisconsin
Kaley Viola, Winthrop
Sara Felts, Winthrop
Becca Toor, Winthrop
Morgan DeVries, Seton Hall
Paulette Grand Pre, W&M
MVP: Elise Walch, Wisconsin