WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Knotted up going into the fifth set, the Kutztown University women's volleyball team was unable to topple West Chester University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division action Friday night from Hollinger Field House.
 
With West Chester and Shippensburg University both winning Friday night and moving to 9-12 in conference play, Kutztown (13-16, 7-14 PSAC) has been eliminated from postseason contention with one match remaining in the season.
 
The Golden Bears came out strong and led the entire first set on the way to a 25-18 triumph. KU also picked up the third set, 25-19. West Chester (19-13, 9-12) picked up the second and fourth sets (25-17 & 25-22), before rallying off five straight points to end the fifth set, 15-6.
 
Three KU attackers notched double-digit kills in the defeat. Chelsea Braga (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach (Fairleigh Dickinson)) led the way with 14 kills, Audrey Stringer (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) threw down 13, and Aly York (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) recorded 11. Stringer executed efficiently with a .455 hitting percentage, a game-high for players with over two total attacks.
 
After reaching the 10-dig mark only once throughout the first 23 matches of the season, York has now recorded 11+ in six-straight matches. York paced the Golden Bears with 15 digs Friday night.
 
Libero Madison Brake (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) also found herself 15 digs, while Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) contributed 14 and Braga added 13. Conti dished out 44 assists.
 
Braga tallied a game-high three service aces, and is now three away from 100 in her career.
 
Stringer led the front line with five blocks. Danielle Van Buren (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) and Zandria Zielinski (York, Pa./York Catholic) combined for six blocks and 15 kills.
 
The Golden Bears will wrap up the season on the road tomorrow, Nov. 8 at Cheyney University. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m.