Box Score Kutztown 3, Fairmont State 1 (HTML Box Score)
WHEELING, W. Va. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team took revenge over Fairmont State University with a 3-1 victory on Friday afternoon as part of the Wheeling Jesuit & West Liberty Co-Invitational at Wheeling Jesuit University.
In the most recent match, the Golden Bears (5-3) fell 3-0 to the Fighting Falcons (8-2) in the Mountain East / Pennsylvania State Athletic Confference (PSAC) Crossover Tournament. Facing off again Friday afternoon, KU arrived hungry for redemption.
In the first set, the Fighting Falcons got off to an early lead, but managed to teeter a mere four points at the greatest advantage over KU, until Leslie Gordon widened the gap to 15-10. The two teams continued the struggle, but KU only came within three points at 22-19 before ultimately falling 25-20.
At the end of the first set, the Golden Bears felt a slight reminiscence of their most previous face off against the Fighting Falcons. Quickly shaking the loss, the Golden Bears started the second set gaining a 3-0 lead. FSU managed to catch up, but KU refused to forfeit the winning advantage. Sophomore
Emily Kopinski (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) used a 6-0 stretch to take the Golden Bears to 10-4, where they held a comfortable five-point gap on the scoreboard until FSU caught up at 22-19. It was too late for the Fighting Falcons, however, as the Golden Bears were set on the win and took the set 25-22.
Through the beginning of the third set, the two teams were neck-in-neck and met each other five times on the scoreboard with two lead changes before the Golden Bears finally reached a steady 7-0 run at 20-13. KU utilized teamwork and experience on the net to hold the advantage, committing only five errors on 16 kills to stay ahead and take the win 25-17.
The fourth and final set started off looking very similar to the previous set, with seven ties and two lead changes. The teams pushed each other to 17-17, before the Golden Bears unleashed kills from across the net by
Zandria Zielinski (York, Pa./York Catholic),
Audrey Stringer (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury), and
Chelsea Braga (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach (Fairleigh Dickinson)) to take a four-point lead.
Liama Goodrich (Birdsboro, PA/Daniel Boone) made the final kill for KU to win the game 25-20. The Golden Bears displayed impeccable efficiency with only five errors on 17 kills.
Freshman setter
Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) reached a career-high 46 assists. Also reaching a career-high, Goodrich recorded 16 kills to lead the KU offense, followed by Stringer with 12, and Braga with 11.
Kopinski led on the floor with a career-high 16 digs and also delivered four service aces, while Zielinski led KU with a career-high four blocks.
