CLARION, Pa. – After dropping the first two sets by scores of 15-25 and 13-25, the Kutztown University volleyball team fought valiantly in the third before ultimately falling 19-25 at Southwest Division favorite Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action on Saturday afternoon.
 
Down by as many as five early on in the third set, KU (3-10, 0-2 PSAC) came back to tie it at 13, and despite Clarion (7-6, 2-0) scoring the next four points, the Golden Bears fought back once more to get as close as one. A Madison Brake (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) kill made the score 19-20 before the Golden Eagles closed the match with the final five points.
 
Clarion controlled play, swinging at least .324 in each set en route to a final hitting percentage of .350. The Golden Eagles had a 53-22 advantage in kills and doubled up Kutztown in digs, 48-24.
 
Three Golden Eagles finished with double-digit kills, led by Taylor Braunagel's 15. Mackenzie Briggs was right behind her with 14, while Lauryn Driscoll had 10. Leah Vensel and Catherine Ferragonio led the match with 26 assists and 11 digs, respectively.
 
Jessica Howe (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) fell one kill shy of her fourth double-digit performance of the season, pacing KU with nine on .261 hitting. Brittney Moyer (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain (Lock Haven)) was next up with seven, adding a team-high eight digs.
 
In addition to leading Kutztown with 17 assists, Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) moved into 11th place in program history with 978 career digs.
 
With KU up 6-5 early in the first, Clarion used five straight points to take control of the set. The Golden Bears did take the next two points, the first on a Howe kill, but again the Golden Eagles came back with the next five to complete a 10-2 run for a 15-8 lead.
 
Kutztown did well to nearly erase an early 3-7 deficit in the second, getting back within one, 6-7, on back-to-back kills from Zandria Zielinski (York, Pa./York Catholic) and Moyer, but again Clarion pulled away as it took seven of the next eight points. 
 
Kutztown returns to Keystone Arena next Friday, Sept, 30. for the beginning of a five-match homestand, hosting Seton Hill at 7 p.m. in PSAC play.