PIKE CREEK, Del. - After falling behind in the match 1-0, the Goldey-Beacom College volleyball team came back to win three straight sets to defeat University of the District of Columbia, 3-1 in non-league play at the Joseph West Jones Center on Tues. night.

The Lightning (8-9) avenged an earlier 3-1 loss on the road this season to the Firebirds (8-12) by winning 26-28, 25-23, 25-21, 25-18. Tonight's win snapped a current three-match losing streak and a three-match losing streak in the series against UDC.

Both teams' hitting was very accurate, but it was GBC that held a .273 to .211 edge thanks to its outstanding precision in the third and fourth sets. The Lightning hit .353 (15 kills, three errors) in set three and .312 (15 kills, five errors) in set four to close out the match.

Freshman Kadi McCoy led a great team effort offensively for the Lightning by tying her season-high of 18 kills. She hit .205 for the night and also contributed 10 digs. Senior Rebecca Stoffer also recorded 12 kills, two service aces, four blocks (one solo) and 10 digs. In addition, freshman middle hitter Emily Shustack had eight kills and zero errors on 17 attacks (.412 hitting percentage) while adding six blocks (four solo). Senior Roni Shaner registered eight kills and just one error in 17 attempts, as she hit .412 for the night with two service aces and eight digs.

Defensively, junior setter Monica Dempsey led the team with 15 digs. She also directed the offense with 38 assists.

Grace DeMichelis led three Firebirds with double-figure kills as she recorded 16 and hit .407 for the night. Grace Perilli and Vanessa Garley added 13 and 12, respectively.

The Lightning got off to a hot start in the first set, claiming a quick 4-0 lead and later a 13-7 advantage. They led 21-16 late in the set before a 5-1 run allowed the Firebirds to pull within a point, 22-21. Still, GBC had a chance to put the set away, up 24-22, but allowed UDC to score two consecutive points and tie things up at 24. A see-saw battle ensued until finally the Firebirds closed out the set with a kill by Perilli to win 28-26.

Again Goldey-Beacom was on a roll to start set two, jumping out to a 4-1 lead early on. UDC regrouped, however and forced a 5-5 tie with a 4-1 run of its own. After a 6-6 deadlock, the Firebirds went on a 6-1 rally to take a 12-7 lead, but the Lightning slowly cut into that lead by outscoring UDC 16-10 to pull in front, 23-22. After UDC tied the match once more at 23-apiece, the Lightning closed out the set with a kill by Shaner and a solo block by Shustack for a 25-23 win to even the match, 1-1.

Another quick start saw the Lightning claim an early 6-2 lead, and they would never trail during the entire set. GBC led by as many as nine (22-13) before the Firebirds rallied to score eight of the next nine points and pull within two, 23-21. The Lightning closed out the set with consecutive kills by Stoffer and freshman Taylor Moyer (five kills, two service aces) and won the set 25-21.

Once more, GBC had the upperhand at the start of the set in the fourth game, claiming a 4-1 lead and extending it to 9-4 before forcing a UDC timeout. After the Lightning had allowed UDC to pull within a point, 5-4, they used a 12-3 surge to pull in front 17-7, and cruised to victory from there. Stoffer and McCoy combined for eight kills in the set, as GBC closed out the match with a 25-18 set four win.

The Lightning go on the road to play Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Chestnut Hill next on Thurs., at 7 p.m.