JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team nearly completed a late first-set comeback before falling to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division leader Pitt-Johnstown in three sets (21-25, 13-25, 11-25) on Friday night at the Sports Center.
 
Trailing 18-13 in the first, two Jessica Howe (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) kills and a Madison Brake (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) service ace help catapult KU (3-16, 0-8 PSAC) to getting as close as one, 22-21, when Brittney Moyer (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain (Lock Haven)) finished off back-to-back kills to bring KU within a point for the first time since it was 3-2. Pitt-Johnstown had the response though, taking the final three points on two kills and an error to hold on for the early lead.
 
With the score 6-5 in the second, a 12-1 run helped Pitt-Johnstown (14-5, 7-1) build the dominant two-set advantage. The Mountain Cats finished the match off behind taking the first eight points of the third.
 
Howe led Kutztown in kills for the second match in a row, finishing with seven. Moyer was behind her with five, adding a team-best nine digs.
 
Taylor Brown (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) tied a new season-high with four block assists, while Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) led the Golden Bears with 18 assists.
 
Kendall Mahony paced Pitt-Johnstown with 11 kills on .529 hitting, with Maura Brehl contributing eight on .500 hitting. Devan Orr racked up a match-high 17 digs in the three sets, and Allison Mondorff led all players with 26 assists.
 
The Mountain Cats hit .247 for the match while holding Kutztown to a negative percentage in the final two sets after the Golden Bears compiled a .242 percentage in the first.
 
KU completes its weekend road trip tomorrow, Oct. 15 at Lock Haven (3-13, 2-6) at 1 p.m.