The Penn State Behrend (20-10) women's volleyball team defeated Wilkes University (18-13) 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-23) in the first round of the 2018 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships on Wednesday at the Junker Center.

Behrend picked up its second win in program history over Wilkes, as the Lions defeated the Colonels 3-1 last season in the first-ever meeting. 

Senior setter Lexi Irwin tallied 24 assists and team-best eight digs. Sophomore libero Madison Clapper tallied a match-high 16 digs. Irwin and freshman outside hitter Kristin Reiland combined for eight kills on 10 attempts with no errors in a 25-17 set-one victory. Behrend had its largest lead at nine (23-14) in the first set before falling 3-0 in the second set and then using a 10-2 run to take the lead for good. The Lions never trailed in the third set but the Colonels tied it at 23-all before Alex Parra and an attack error by Wilkes secured the win

Behrend advances to the ECAC Championship quarterfinals and will face McDaniel College at host Cabrini University on Saturday at 8 p.m.