D'Youville Gets Past Women's Volleyball in Five Sets

ERIE, Pa. – The D'Youville women's volleyball team recorded a five-set Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) win over Penn State Behrend on Wednesday night in the Junker Center.

The Spartans (4-14, 2-2 AMCC) snapped a 16-match losing streak to the Lions (10-12, 2-2 AMCC) with a 19-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, and 15-12 victory. Five different players tallied double-digit digs and three others had double-digit kills. Megan Schneider led with 16 kills and 19 digs.

Behrend registered a season best in kills (69), digs (101) and assists (65) in the loss. Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski) knocked down a season-high 21 kills and Hannah Saunders (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) set a career-high 55 assists, while Paige Scurpa (Sharpsville, PA/Sharpsville) had a season-best 33 digs.

The Lions, who defeated D'Youville 3-2 earlier in the season, came out and hit .324 to capture the first set. Behrend posted 17 kills to the Spartans seven, taking a commanding 20-14 lead and holding on to win 25-19 on a kill from Jordan Harakal (Peters Township, PA/Peters Township).

The Spartans won the next two sets 25-18 and 25-21, before Behrend forced a fifth set after a close 25-23 victory. In the fourth set, only a few points separated the two teams even until the end.  The Lions had set point on three occasions thanks to a service ace by Lexi Irwin (Greensburg, PA/Hempfield) and an attack error from D'Youville gave Behrend the 25-23 win.

The Spartans did not commit an attack error in the decisive set, getting 10 points off kills and another off a service ace to edge the Lions, 15-12. Frye tallied five kills and Henry added four kills to lead Behrend in the final set.

In addition to the assists, Saunders tallied 17 digs and seven kills. Henry finished behind Frye in kills with 20.

The Lions return to action on Saturday for an AMCC tri-match against Pitt-Greensburg and La Roche. First match begins at 10 a.m.