WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Playing in its third five-set match in the span of less than 20 hours, the Kutztown University women's volleyball team finally pulled through for its first victory of the 2016 campaign as the Golden Bears rallied from two sets down to defeat Lees McRae 17-25, 18-25, 25-13, 25-17, 16-14 on Saturday morning on the second day of the Second Annual Strike Out Hunger Challenge.
 
History was then made later on in the day, as Brittney Moyer (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain (Lock Haven)) became just the second individual in program history to reach at least 27 kills in a match, joining KU Hall of Famer Sarah Brandon. The sophomore transfer became the first individual to reach the mark since sets went down to 25 points from 30 in 2008.
 
Despite this, Kutztown (1-3) would be on the opposite end of a two-set comeback in its final action of the Challenge. The Golden Bears fell to Chowan (1-3) 12-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-13 as they ran out of gas in it 20th set in less than 24 hours.  
 
KU used 16 blocks against Lees McRae, tied for its highest total since Oct. 27, 2012, to stifle the Lees McRae offensive attack.  The Bobcats had negative hitting percentages in both the third and fourth sets to help spark the comeback. The 16th and final block clinched the win, capping a 7-1 run to end the match.
 
Trailing 13-8, a Moyer kill triggered a run of five points in a row to even the score. Lees McRae answered and would have a match point up 14-13, but Kutztown then took the final three points beginning with back-to-back kills by Moyer and Cara Long (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area). Anna Conti (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) and Jessica Howe (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) then combined for one final denial at the net.
 
Long, a freshman, led all players with eight blocks and was one kill shy of a double-double. Niki Carpenter (King of Prussia, Pa./Upper Merion Area) was right behind her, matching her career-high with seven, while Howe doubled her previous career-high with six and chipped in with 11 kills, good for second-most on the team.
 
It was Moyer leading KU in kills for a third consecutive contest to open the season, tying for a match-high 14 on an impressive .500 hitting, while also tallying a match-high five services aces.
 
With a team-high 18 digs, Madison Brake (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) moved into fifth place in program history with 1,348 for her career.
 
Conti paced Kutztown with 38 assists.
 
KU rallied from down 6-1 early in the first set to even come back and to go up 17-16, but Lees McRae scored the final nine points to take the early lead. The Bobcats went ahead early once again in the second, 10-5, and this time made it stick for a commanding two-set advantage.
 
It was all Kutztown in the third, as the Golden Bears closed the set on a 17-6 run after the two teams remained deadlocked early. KU then used a 10-3 stretch in the middle of the fourth to break an 11-11 tie and send the match to a fifth set.
 
In addition to the 27 kills on .371 hitting against Chowan, Moyer posted 15 digs. The performance capped a weekend in which she finished with 76 kills, 43 digs, 19 service aces and three double-doubles across the four matches.
 
Moyer was one of five Golden Bears to finish with double-digit digs, highlighted by Madisyn Kleinfelter (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon)'s career-high 14. Brake led the way with 25, while Conti added 13 and 47 assists for a double-double, and freshman Sophie Kerschner (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) contributed eight.
 
Tori Wakelee (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) was second to Moyer with nine kills, falling one shy of her second double-digit kill performance in two days and just the third of her career. Zandria Zielinski (York, Pa./York Catholic) chipped in nine kills on .273 hitting.
  
Next up for KU is its home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. as the Golden Bears welcome Holy Family to Keystone Arena .