Penn State New Kensington Falls to Penn State Greater Allegheny in Four-Set Battle

Penn State New Kensington Falls to Penn State Greater Allegheny in Four-Set Battle

Penn State New Kensington's volleyball team lost in four sets to Penn State Greater Allegheny, with a final score of 3-1 in favor of Greater Allegheny. The Lions started strong by winning the first set but could not maintain momentum, dropping the next three sets.

Match Recap:

• Set 1: New Kensington opened with a commanding 25-13 win, controlling the pace of the game with solid offensive play.
• Set 2: Greater Allegheny responded by taking the second set 25-18, showing a stronger presence at the net and improving their defense.
• Set 3: A close battle ensued, but Greater Allegheny edged out New Kensington 25-23 to take the lead.
• Set 4: Greater Allegheny sealed the victory with a 25-16 win, capitalizing on errors from New Kensington to finish the match 3-1.

Stat Leaders for Penn State New Kensington:

• Kills: Jessica Staraniec led the team with 10 kills, while Gabby Wolfkill and Giana Miller contributed 6 and 7 kills, respectively.
• Assists: Kayla Unger was pivotal in setting up the offense with 29 assists.
• Digs: Kayla Carnahan led defensively with 20 digs, while Gabrielle Green added 6 digs.
• Service Aces: Unger, Staraniec, and Carnahan each tallied 3 service aces, keeping the pressure on Greater Allegheny's defense.

Penn State Greater Allegheny Leaders:

• Kills: Lillian Barker dominated the attack with 11 kills and a .524 hitting percentage, followed by Gianna Tour with 6 kills and 9 blocks.
• Assists: Olivia Huber contributed 23 assists, orchestrating Greater Allegheny's offense.
• Blocks: Greater Allegheny's defense was led by Barker and Tour, combining for 12 blocks.

Key Takeaways:

Despite New Kensington's strong opening set, Penn State Greater Allegheny's defensive adjustments and consistency at the net helped them rally back to win the match. New Kensington's attack was led by standout performances from Staraniec and Unger, but errors in crucial moments allowed Greater Allegheny to take control of the match.

With the loss, Penn State New Kensington drops to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Penn State Greater Allegheny improves to 4-5 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Next Game:

Penn State New Kensington will look to rebound in their next match as they continue their conference schedule.