McKeesport, Pa. – It was a big weekend for the Penn State Greater Allegheny Volleyball Team (8-8, 6-5) as they picked up four big Penn State University Athletic Conference wins this weekend to move them to 6-5 in conference play and an 8-8 overall record.
It all started on Saturday where PSUGA would be playing on the campus of Penn State Beaver for the first of two quad matches. They started the weekend with a 3-0 clean sweep of Penn State Hazleton and followed that up with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Penn State Lehigh Valley. Then they came back home Sunday where they beat Penn State Worthington Scranton 3-1 and completed the weekend with a sweep of Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Communication was the key to the ladies success as they were loud and deliberate with their calls and that in turn set up good sets and striking opportunities in the matches. This was an area of their game that was lacking early on in the season, but has since stepped it up and has become a strong point.
Offense was the key on Saturday as Laura Vazquez Diaz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Cupey Maria Montesorri) combined for 41 total attack opportunities and 23 kills in the two games on Saturday. Hayley Maksin (Port Vue, Pa./South Allegheny) added 23 total attacks of her own and collected 12 kills on the day. The 2-0 start to the weekend would give the ladies plenty of confidence heading into their own Quad Match on Sunday.
In the beginning of the season it was PSUGA making the errors as the girls were getting comfortable with each other. However, on Sunday, it was PSUGA who was taking advantage of mistakes made by the opposition. Maksin continued to have a great day as she led her team with 28 total attacks and 9 kills between the two matches. Kaylee Holtzman (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) would also get in on the action collecting 19 total attacks and six kills.
PSUGA volleyball has now won their last six matches after starting the year just 2-8. They bumped up three spots in the PSUAC Conference standings and now sit in sixth place slated right behind Penn State Fayette. The ladies have found their success and are starting to roll with it.
PSUGA Volleyball will be back in action Wednesday when they go on the road to battle the team that sits just ahead of them in the conference standings in Penn State Fayette. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
