PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend women's volleyball team won a pair of Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) matches, defeating La Roche 3-2 and Pitt-Greensburg 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (13-11, 3-3 AMCC) have won eight of their last nine matches, moving into fifth place in the conference standings with three regular-season matches to go. Behrend took a two-set lead against the Redhawks with scores of 25-22 and 25-14, before falling 25-18 and 25-23 and then winning 15-10 in the final set.
In the nightcap, the Lions blanked the Bobcats 25-5, 25-15 and 25-16.
Hannah Saunders (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) was able to dish out 32 assists in the first match, to move into third place for career assists with 3,134 surpassing Angela Georg (3,100 – 1994-97).
Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski) led Behrend against La Roche with 16 kills and five digs, while Amanda Henry (Bridgeville, PA/South Fayette) tallied a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs. Madison Clapper (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) recorded 24 digs.
Behrend pulled out to a 19-13 lead in the first set, but the Redhawks went on a 9-3 run to knot it at 22-all. A La Roche service error combined with an ace from Kylie McSwaney (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) and kill by Frye made it 25-22.
The Lions were able to take another large lead in the second set and hold on for a 25-15 win for a 2-0 advantage in the match. The Redhawks managed to tie the match by winning the third set 25-18 and narrowly taking the fourth, 25-23.
In the fifth, a pair of aces from Henry and a kill from Frye made it, 9-4. Three errors by La Roche and three kills from Behrend won the set at 15-10.
Against Pitt-Greensburg, Henry registered eight kills. Defensively, Keely Hering (North East, PA/North East) and Clapper had 13 digs.
With a small 6-4 lead in the first set, Behrend won the next 19 out of 20 points for a commanding 25-5 win. Six straight kills and a pair of aces from Hering in the second set got the Lions out front 19-6. Behrend finished with a kill and an ace from Jordan Harakal (Peters Township, PA/Peters Township) for a 25-16 decision.
The Lions sealed the two-victory day with a 25-16 win in the third set. Saunders added 18 assists to her 32 from the first set for 50 on the day.
Behrend returns to action on Saturday against Franciscan. Match time is set at 1 p.m.