Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WEST CHESTER, PA - Sophomore middle blocker Ye Wang (Beijing, China/Hachioji Jissen HS) and junior outside hitter Jenn Karan (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park HS) led the Daemen Wildcats to a pair of three-set victories today, as the Wildcats partake in Ram Fest at the Hollinger Field House on the campus of West Chester University.  Daemen used the strong play of Wang and Karan to cruise past NCAA Division II-opponents Ohio Valley (25-14, 25-7, 25-18) and Holy Family (25-20, 25-9, 25-17) to improve to 6-5 on the season.  This marks the first time the team has been over the .500 mark since winning its' opening match back on August 24 vs. Spring Arbor.

In the win vs. Ohio Valley, Wang's 12 kills in just 14 attempts (.786 hitting percentage) helped the Wildcats to a .357 team hitting percentage in the match.  Also bombing away in the middle was junior Kaitlin Watchey (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown HS) who added eight kills and a .533 hitting percentage of her own.

"We have really been focusing on executing our middle attack and it was our best performance of the year, so far, from the middle," said Daemen head coach Mark Parisi.  "Our ball control combined with Ye and Kaitlin working hard in transition led to huge point production."

Setting up Wang and Watchey was junior setter Kaley Vazquez (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore West HS) who contributed 18 assists in the opener vs. the Fighting Scots.  Paige Tilert (Derby, NY/Lake Shore HS) and Katie Auge (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca HS) led the Wildcat defense with 13 and 11 digs, respectively.

In the win vs. Holy Family, the Daemen attacked switched to the outside where Karan hammered down 13 kills in just 16 attempts (.688 hitting percentage).  With Wang and Watchey combining for six kills in the match, the attack continued on the outside as senior Joanna Fretthold (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda HS) and sophomore Lindsey Nowak (Hamburg, NY/Immaculata Acad.) split 18 kills between them.

Daemen attacked at a .407 clip as a team, thanks in large part to the setting of Vazquez and sophomore Chelsea Turcer (Alexander, NY/Alexander Central HS).  Vazquez put up a season-best 23 assists while Turcer assisted on 14 Daemen kills.  

Tilert, Auge and Fretthold did the job defensively, combining for 41 of the team's 49 digs in the match.  

"The win against Holy Family was our best offensive performance of the season," Parisi said.  "All six hitters were very effective, making good decisions and hitting at a high percentage.  I am really pleased to see the setters distribute the ball in a way that every hitter can contribute.  When we play like that, we will be tough to beat."

Daemen's participation at Ram Fest continues tomorrow.  They'll face the host Golden Rams of West Chester at 10am and Philadelphia University at noon.