PSUGA Gets Back on Track in 3-1 Win Over PSU-New Kensington

McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Volleyball team (3-8, 2-3) got back on track Wednesday night when they defeated PSU-New Kensington (1-7, 0-5) 3-1. They were able to gain the momentum early in the match and used that to their advantage to help them close out the win.

PSUGA grabbed the momentum early in the match picking up a dominant set one win 25-18 to take a 1-0 lead. It was the first time that PSUGA had taken the first set of a match dating back to September 7^th when they took the first set against Point Park before eventually dropping that match 3-1.

It was more of the same for PSUGA in the second set of the day as they continued their dominance taking a 25-19 lead giving them control of the match 2-0. PSU-New Kensington would not go down without a fight battling PSUGA to try to get the necessary two-point advantage in the third set. New Kensington would tie the set up at 24-24 before scoring the last two points and picking up a 26-24 set win to force a fourth set.

Despite dropping the third set, PSUGA would hold their ground and come back to win the fourth set 25-19 and winning the match 3-1. The win marked the first time this season that PSUGA has won a match that went more than three sets as they picked up a big PSUAC win helping them fight for their positioning in the PSUAC West Division.

Alix Ellis (Derry, PA./Derry Area HS) and Kaylee Holtzman (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) led the offense picking up 13 kills each on 25 attacks for Holtzman and 32 for Ellis. The trio of Juliana Brill (Mount Jackson, VA./Stonewall Jackson HS), Seiblesierra Ili (Barstow, Ca./Barstow HS), and Kimmy Tinker (Ewing, IL./Benton Consolidated HS) led the defense picking up six digs a piece in the win.

Holtzman continued her recent string of offensive success picking up double digit kills for the second time in the last four games and now has 33 kills in her last 99 attack opportunities good for a .333 hitting percentage. After having just 23 kills through her first six games, Holtzman is back on track and has already eclipsed her kill total from a year ago.

With the win, PSUGA now moves to 2-3 in conference play and currently sits in fifth place in the PSUAC West Division. PSUGA continues to battle through their conference schedule with the goal of making it back to the PSUAC playoffs after missing out on the tournament by just a couple games a year ago.

The PSUGA Volleyball team has a quick turn around when they take the court Wednesday night for a non-conference match with Carlow inside the Wunderly Gymnasium. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.