Lions Secure No. 4 Seed for AMCC Playoffs; Fall to Franciscan

Lions Secure No. 4 Seed for AMCC Playoffs; Fall to Franciscan

ERIE, Pa. – Dani Link registered a double-double with a game-high 14 kills and 12 digs to lead Franciscan past Penn State Behrend 3-1 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday afternoon at the Junker Center.

The Barons (12-17, 6-3 AMCC) posted their second win over the Lions (14-14, 6-3 AMCC) in the all-time series in four sets 25-16, 28-26, 20-25 and 25-11. With the win, Franciscan secured the No. 3 seed for playoffs and Behrend earned the No. 4 seed and will host a first-round game on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. against La Roche.

On senior day, Courtney Hopson (Erie, PA/McDowell) posted a career-high 36 digs and Lindsay Bean (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) added a team-best 10 kills for Behrend. Hopson recorded 11 digs in the first and third set, helping the Lions take the third 25-20 in attempt for a comeback.

Christina Lawrence, who was also in double digit kills with 11, led Franciscan in the first set with four kills and no errors to get the Barons a 1-0 lead in the match. With a 17-16 lead, Franciscan won the next eight straight points for a 25-16 decision.

In the second set, Kylie McSwaney (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) knocked in a kill to knot it a 17-all which marked the start of each team trading point-for-point until the end. Down the stretch, Bean kept the Lions in the match with two kills but her attack error and then an ace from Lawrence sealed the set two victory in extra points, 28-26.

Behrend used the same trick Franciscan did in the first set and closed out the third on a 6-0 run for the win at 25-20. Lexi Irwin (Greensburg, PA/Hempfield) served the Lions out combined with a kill from Bean and Jordan Harakal (Peters Township, PA/Peters Township) to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Barons jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the fourth set and didn't look back for their sixth conference win of this season at 25-11.

Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski Area) added seven kills and Irwin posted 12 assists and season-best 10 digs for her first collegiate double-double.