BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team received a strong night overall from its top-end hitters at the net, but KU's effort fell just short in a highly-competitive, four-set match loss at Bloomsburg University Friday night, 3-1 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Central Division action.
 
Scores of the match were 29-27, 22-25, 26-24 and 25-13.
 
The Golden Bears (9-19 overall, 3-15 PSAC) were led by front court hitters Holly Owen (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), Erin Patterson (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) and Lauren Jackson (Stafford, Va./Mountain View), who combined for 45 of KU's 52 kills, each tallying in double-figures. Owen's match-high 21 kills leaves her just 15 shy of 1,000 for her career. She ranks second in the PSAC with 430 kills on the year. Patterson tallied 14 kills and Jackson added a season-high of 10. That trio outscored the Huskies (10-21, 5-13) main trio of Sydney Buell (13), Mary Kate Mooney (12), Mia Nicholes (9), who combined for 34 kills.
 
Defensively, Kutztown was also stout in front of net, as Lilly Charlton (Landenberg, Pa./Avon Grove), Haylee Holsopple (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) and Jackson all contributed three blocks a piece. Sydney Wilson (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) (25), Abbey James (York, Pa./West York Area) (21) and Lexi Morrow (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry) (11) each recorded double-digit digs. James's 21 digs is a career-high for the junior, while she also added 19 assists, to join Morrow's 16. Wilson also had a career-best 14 assists for KU.
 
The first set was as back-and-forth as they come. It featured 12 ties and seven lead changes. The teams were tied at the 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27-point marks before Bloomsburg recorded two consecutive kills to take the opening set.
 
The Maroon and Gold fought back and got the next set, scoring three straight points with the score tied 21-21, and finished it off on a Patterson kill to tie the match score at 1-1.
 
In the third set, Kutztown battled back from being down most of the game from the outset to tie the score 14-14 and even took its first lead of the set at 23-22. Leading 24-23 and needing just one point to take a 2-1 lead before a deciding fourth set, the Huskies rattled off the next three points to take the 2-1 advantage.
 
Bloomsburg led from start to finish in the fourth set and never looked back in taking the decider.
 
Abby Daniels (Exton, Pa./Great Valley) finished with three kills, one block and one dig for KU.
 
Kutztown closes its 2019 season at Lock Haven tomorrow at 5 p.m.