CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On the opening day of the MEC-PSAC Crossover Tournament, the Kutztown University women's volleyball team suffered two four-set defeats to the host-University of Charleston and Notre Dame College (OH).
 
The Golden Bears squared off with the University of Charleston in their first of four matches this weekend in West Virginia. Charleston came out swinging from the opening serve, posting 26 kills and a .306 attack percentage in the first two sets. KU, on the other hand, struggled to find its offensive rhythm in the first two frames, posting just 14 combined kills. Using this offensive advantage, UC dispatched Kutztown in sets one and two by an identical 25-13 score.
 
KU turned the tide in set three, however, racking up 19 kills and outhitting the Golden Eagles, .180 to .128. This frame went down to the wire with both sides trading runs throughout and required extra volleyball to decide its winner. With the set score knotted at 27-all, Haylee Holsopple (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) delivered two consecutive kills from the hands of Amanda Meck (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood Area) to close out the frame in Kutztown's favor, 29-27.
 
The fourth set, much like third, featured back-and-forth scoring from both teams to begin the frame. Tied at 11-all, a critical seven-point run from Charleston put the Golden Eagles ahead by a comfortable margin. The Golden Bears were unable to mount a comeback in the deciding set, dropping set four by a 25-13 final and the match, 3-1.
 
As a team, Kutztown had four players with six kills or more in the match, led by Brittney Moyer (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain (Lock Haven))'s nine. Defensively, Sydney Wilson (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) led the KU backline with 18 digs with Moyer adding 12 digs of her own. For both Wilson and Moyer, this is the third time this season they have registered double-digit digs.
 
After the tough defeat to Charleston, the Golden Bears started off hot in their second match of the day against Notre Dame College (OH).  Kutztown went on top early in the first set, taking an 11-6 advantage following a six-point run. With this lead in hand, KU finished off NDC in the frame, 25-21. Moyer had six of nine kills for the Golden Bears in the set, helping Kutztown outhit the Falcons, .161 to .061. 
 
The offensive success ended abruptly following set one, however, as Kutztown's attack was stymied in the final three sets, hitting a combined .081 the rest of the way. Notre Dame also began to find its rhythm on the offensive end, posting a combined 39 kills and .192 attack percentage in sets two, three and four. 
 
Even with its offensive struggles, KU hung tough in each frame, battling within one or two points towards each set's completion. At these critical junctures, NDC used runs of four, five and three points to close out each frame by finals of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-23, winning the match, 3-1.
 
Moyer posted a double-double for the Golden Bears in defeat, notching 17 kills and 16 digs in four sets. Wilson led the defensive effort with 18 digs and Alli Henderson (Boalsburg, Pa./State College Area) demonstrated her two-way ability with 16 digs, eight kills and 2.5 blocks. The setting duo of Madisyn Kleinfelter (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) and Amanda Meck (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood Area) combined for 42 of 44 total assists for KU.
 
Kutztown returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 9 for its final two matches of the weekend, taking on Urbana at 10 a.m. and West Virginia State at 7 p.m. in Institute, W.Va.