PHILADELPHIA – Senior outside hitter Brittany Olson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) recorded a career-high 26 kills to help the Philadelphia University women's volleyball team knock off visiting Wilmington (Del.) 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 16-25, 25-19) in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) match Wednesday night in the Gallagher Center.

Olson—whose previous career-high was 21 kills on Oct. 18, 2011 at Chestnut Hill—hit .429 and added 14 digs in the win. Junior middle hitter Terra Ecker (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) and sophomore middle hitter Chelsea Hughes (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) contributed 15 kills each.

Junior setter Heather Martin (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) tallied 34 assists and 14 digs. Sophomore setter Allyson Schillinger (Spring Hill, Fla./Springstead) recorded 23 assists and 10 digs. Freshman libero Michele Chai (Sinking Spring, Pa./Berks Catholic) added a career-best 33 digs.

Philadelphia (11-8, 10-2 CACC) took control of the first set—in which they recorded 17 kills and hit .387—when it rattled off seven straight points to increase a slim two-point lead into a 21-12 cushion. Olson led the Rams in the set with eight kills.

The Rams managed to take a four-point lead (14-10) in a tight second set on back-to-back kills from Olson and junior middle hitter Jordan Milligan (Evansville, Ind./Central). After Wilmington (16-9, 11-2 CACC) fought back to tie the set at 18, sophomore outside hitter Allison Manley (Saint Charles, Ill./Saint Charles E.) and Ecker recorded a kill to allow Philadelphia to regain to two-point advantage. Philadelphia won the set on consecutive kills from Olson and freshman middle hitter Lauren Laucella (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham).

Wilmington never trailed in its third set victory. The Wildcats had led by as many as nine on three occasions during the set.

Philadelphia was down 16-11 in the fourth set before making a furious rally to take the set and the match. Two Ecker kills and one from Olson closed the gap to 16-14 and forced the Wildcats to call timeout. The run continued after the stoppage and allowed the Rams to take an 18-16 lead. After Wilmington made the score 19-18, Philadelphia rattled off five straight points to open up a six-point gap.

Kaitlin DiGiacinto led Wilmington with 18 kills, while Allison Briley had 15 kills.

Philadelphia hosts Chestnut Hill in a CACC match on Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.