Women's Volleyball Tops Thiel

GREENVILLE, Pa. – Penn State Behrend women's volleyball team had three players with double-doubles, including Hannah Saunders (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) with 43 assists and 11 digs to help defeat Thiel 3-1 in non-conference action on Wednesday night.

The Lions (3-2) dropped the first set 25-21, before winning the final three sets 25-23, 25-22 and 25-11 for the win over the Tomcats (0-5). In addition to Saunders, Paige Scurpa (Sharpsville, PA/Sharpsville) registered 15 digs and 11 kills, and freshman Amanda Henry (Bridgeville, PA/South Fayette) cranked out 12 digs and 10 kills for Behrend.

Thiel never trailed in the first set to take an early lead, but the Lions fought back to get their third win of the season. Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski Area), who led the team with 14 kills on the night, joined Meredith Snyder (Parker, PA/Allegheny Clarion Valley) in the second set with four kills apiece to even the match at 1-all.

Behrend held a strong 19-13 lead in the second set and the Tomcats used an 8-2 run to knot the game at 21. The set was tied two more times, before a Thiel attack error and a kill by Henry got the Lions a 25-23 win.

Behrend hit .441 as a team in the third set, while Scurpa was flawless with five kills on 11 attempts. The Tomcats had a small lead at 19-17 behind an ace and a kill, but the Lions scored the next eight of 11 points to a 25-22 decision and a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the final and fourth set, Behrend held Theil to just nine kills to dominate and secure a 25-11 victory. Frye tallied six of the team's 15 kills in the set.

Defensively, Courtney Hopson (Erie, PA/McDowell) posted a game-high 25 digs and Lindsay Bean (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) made four blocks to go along with 11 kills on 21 attempts with one error for a .476 hitting percentage.

The Lions return to action on Friday against Bethany in the first match of the Behrend Invitational, beginning at 3:30 p.m.