McKeesport, Pa. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Volleyball Team (8-12, 6-9) gets set to wrap up their 2017/18 season on Monday October 23rd when they face off against Penn State Fayette (19-6, 12-3).
PSUGA went on a big winning streak in the middle of the season as they won six straight contests after a 2-8 start to get them back to .500 and within striking distance for the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs. However, they have dropped each of their last three contests officially eliminating them from playoff contention.
Their last time out, they got swept by Penn State New Kensington three sets to nothing. It looked promising for the ladies early on as they played a tight first set but fell 25-20. They then had a chance at taking the second set forcing it past the 25 point mark, however, PSU-New Kensington would just squeeze by with a 26-24 victory. PSU-New Kensington would then use that momentum in set three to put PSUGA away picking up a 25-19 victory.
Laura Vazquez Diaz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Cupey Maria Montessori) had the team lead in total attacks with 36 while collecting seven kills. Kaylee Holtzman (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) led the team in kills with eight and was second on the team with 34 total attacks. Hayley Maksin (Port Vue, Pa./South Allegheny) would lead the team defensively collecting 16 digs.
With that loss, PSUGA fell to 8-12 overall and 6-9 in conference play and are currently sitting in eighth place in the PSUAC standings. The ladies have fought hard this season in every match, but some early struggles have come back to bite them.
Their opponent, Penn State Fayette, has already locked themselves into a PSUAC playoff position as they sit in third place in the PSUAC. They have won each of their last nine matches coming into play on Friday when they face off against Allegany College of Maryland. In 16 of the teams 19 wins this season, they have swept the opposing team three sets to nothing. However, when they lose at least one set in a match, their record falls to just 3-6 on the year.
These two teams faced off once already this season back on October 11th at Penn State Fayette where PSU-Fayette picked up the win three sets to nothing. PSU-Fayette was able to dominate that game taking the sets pretty handedly at 25-16, 25-16, and 25-4.
PSUGA will be looking for their first ever win against PSU-Fayette to try and end out the 2017/18 season on a high note. The teams have met 15 times since the 2011/12 season and Penn State Fayette has come out on top in each of those 15 matches. PSUGA will also look to take its first ever set from PSU-Fayette as all 15 of those previous matchups have resulted in sweeps.
It will be senior night in the Wunderly Gymnasium as Laura Vazquez Diaz will be honored for her four years of volleyball at Penn State Greater Allegheny on Monday. The action kicks off at 7 p.m. inside the Wunderly Gymnasium.
