KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team traded wins with New York Institute of Technology through four sets Friday night, but ultimately fell, 3-2, in its 2015 home debut inside Keystone Arena. Set scores for the Golden Bears read: 22-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-18, 7-15.
 
Kutztown (1-3) trailed by a score of 23-22 to NYIT (4-0) in the opening frame before NYIT captured the final two points to take the set.
 
After trading wins in the next two sets, the Golden Bears entered the fourth frame facing elimination and jumped out to a 14-6 lead. KU was then able to keep NYIT at arm's length to force the fifth set.
 
In the final set, NYIT started hot and raced out to a 7-2 lead. Then, KU called a timeout before scoring the next three points to cut the advantage to 7-5 while the crowd at Keystone Arena erupted in support of the Golden Bears.
 
However, NYIT called a timeout to subdue momentum and it worked as they outscored KU 8-2 down the stretch to take the final set, 15-7.
 
Senior Audrey Stringer (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) tallied a team-high 14 kills and tied her career high with nine blocks including three solo (tied for second-most in her career). She pushes her double-digit kill streak to nine consecutive matches dating back to last season.
 
As a team, KU recorded a season-high 11 blocks. During the 2014 season, the team finished with more than 10 blocks just twice.
 
Junior Madison Brake (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) keyed a strong defensive performance for the Golden Bears, recording a team-high 24 digs. The 24 digs are the third-highest total in her career.
 
Lauren Szkolnicki (Springfield, Pa./Country Day School of the Sacred Heart) finished with 11 kills while freshman Shannon Restrepo (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) filled up the stat sheet with nine kills, 20 assists, 11 digs, one ace and one block.
 
Junior Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) doubled up with 21 assists and 17 digs, as Tori Wakelee (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) contributed eight kills, 16 digs and three blocks.
 
Zandria Zielinski (York, Pa./York Catholic) finished with seven kills and Emily Kopinski (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) totaled 11 digs and a team-high two service aces.
 
For NYIT, three players finished with double-digit kills including a match-best 17 from Emily Mankowski, 16 from Karolina Moderova and 11 from Rachel Guida.
 
The Golden Bears have a quick turnaround and continue action in the Kutztown Classic Saturday morning against Southern New Hampshire University at 9:30 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend against Philadelphia University at 4 p.m. at Keystone Arena.