KUTZTOWN, PA. (September 5, 2009) – There was no huge celebration or Gatorade shower after the Kutztown University volleyball program earned its 500th career victory by defeating Elizabeth City State, 3-1, on the second day of the Kutztown Classic at Keystone Arena. Many of the KU players shook hands, immediately went into the classroom and continued to discuss ways to improve.
The team and coaching staff eventually gathered for a celebratory photo, moments after winning in four games, 25-16, 25-15, 25-27 and 25-21 to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
Kutztown received sterling efforts from nearly everybody that entered the game. Cali Snell (York, PA/York Suburban) and Katie Miller (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) were the heavy hitters as they combined for 22 of KU's 58 kills against the reigning Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion. Snell finished with a game-high 12 kills while Miller added 10 for KU. For the second straight game, freshman setter Dana Wright (Warminster, PA/Saint Basil Academy) dazzled as she finished with a career-high 35 assists.
When Snell and Miller weren't killing the ball, Lindsey Confer, Kelsey Nester (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) and Erin Kissling (York, PA/Central York) took turns slamming balls on the other side of the ECSU net. They each finished with more than six kills. Defensively, the Golden Bears had three players finish with at least double-digit digs highlighted by a game-high 17 from Lindsey Smith (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic).
Wright also found time to collect 14 digs while Jamie Celia (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) finished with 12 digs for the Golden Bears.
Elizabeth City State got a team-high 12 kills from Xie'Ara Stallings, 12 assists from Stacie West and 13 digs from Cassie Noe.
