Pittsburgh, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Volleyball Team (2-5, 1-0) had one final test before they started the bulk of their Penn State University Athletic Conference schedule on Monday when they battle Point Park (7-6, 1-0). The girls fought hard but couldn’t get it done in the end dropping the contest 3-0.
Point Park was in control early and often in this game taking the momentum right from the beginning. Erica Gumz led the team with eight kills as part of a 25-8 first set win to take the early 1-0 lead. PSUGA tried to regroup for set two but again were unable to find their footing dropping the second set 25-9 and finding themselves quickly falling behind in the match 2-0.
However, PSUGA would not go down without a fight as they have been doing all season. They battled back and forth with the Pioneers in the third set and were trailing 14-11 in the early portions of the set. Juliana Brill (Mount Jackson, VA./Stonewall Jackson HS) helped PSUGA inch to within one point of the Pioneers with two serves that resulted in PSUGA points.
That is as close as PSUGA would get on the day, however, as Gumz took control of the contest once again nailing down four straight serves to put Point Park up 24-17. Kaylee Holtzman (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) added a kill and a Point Park error kept PSUGA alive, but in the end, it was the Pioneers who would get the 25th point ending the match.
Holtzman was one of three PSUGA players tied for the team lead in kills as her, Sueriah Timsah (Mesquite, TX./West Mesquite HS), and Alix Ellis (Derry, PA./Derry Area HS) each finished the day with two kills. Seiblesierra Ili (Barstow, CA./Barstow HS) led the team in both assists (6) and digs (8) and Kimmy Tinker (Ewing, IL./Benton Consolidated HS) collected four digs on the day.
PSUGA has been known for their comeback ability this season, but just fell in too big of a hole on this day. PSUGA has won two of their last three games and now starts PSUAC play on Wednesday when they start their journey to try and make it to the PSUAC Playoff tournament after missing out a season ago.
PSUGA is back inside the Wunderly Gymnasium on Wednesday when they face PSU-DuBois at 7 pm looking to improve on their 1-0 conference record.
