Women's Volleyball Advances to AMCC Championship Game

ALTOONA, Pa. – The No. 3 Penn State Behrend women's volleyball team upset No. 2 Pitt-Bradford Panthers 3-0 in the Allegheny Mountain Conference Collegiate (AMCC) semifinals on Saturday at Penn State Altoona.

The Lions (18-11) avenged a 3-0 loss to the Panthers (14-13) during the regular season with a 25-14, 25-20 and 25-16 sweep to propel them into the AMCC Championship Game. Behrend will face No. 4 La Roche, a 3-1 winner over No. 1 Altoona in the first semifinals.

Rachel Frye (Leechburg, PA/Kiski) led with 10 kills on 20 attempts. Hannah Saunders (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) dished out 28 assists.

Behrend had double-digit kills in each set to take Pitt-Bradford in three sets. With a 20-13 lead in the first set, the Lions won the final five points for the win. Amanda Henry (Bridgeville, PA/South Fayette) had a pair of kills and Madison Clapper (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), while Kylie McSwaney (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) finished the set with a kill.

The Lions never trailed in the second set. With a four-point lead at 22-18, the Panthers committed three errors to give Behrend a 2-0 lead in the match at 25-18.

Tied at 11-all in the third set, the Lions went on an 11-1 run to pull ahead 22-12. A kill from Frye and Alex Parra (Pittsburgh, PA/Bishop Canevin) secured the win at 25-16.

Keely Hering (North East, PA/North East) had a team-best 12 digs and Clapper joined with double-digit kills with 10.

Behrend will compete for its fourth AMCC Championship. The Lions and Redhawks square off at 1 p.m.