LAKEWOOD, N.J. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team played hard in every set to the final point, falling just short in both of its matches Friday in Lakewood, N.J., dropping close matches to Le Moyne (3-2) and host Georgian Court (3-0).
 
Junior Holly Owen (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) tallied a team-high 34 kills, classmate Sydney Wilson (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) paced the defense with 18 digs and Abbey James (York, Pa./West York Area) and Lexi Morrow (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry) combined for 63 assists through the two matches.
 
The non-conference portion of Kutztown's schedule wraps up with KU finishing 6-4. Kutztown will begin Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play next weekend with matches on the road at Slippery Rock on Friday, Sept. 27, followed by at Clarion the following day, that Saturday.
 
Le Moyne 3, Kutztown 2
13-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-23, 15-10
 
Kutztown dominated the first set scoring six of the first eight points and 10-of-15. Le Moyne closed the score to 12-9, but the Golden Bears went on a 12-4 run to close it out on a kill by Erin Patterson (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley), who scored back-to-back points to end KU's scoring.
 
In the second set the roles reversed as the Dolphins made a run to finish it off. Le Moyne scored 11 of the last 12 points to even the match at 1-1.
 
While the Maroon and Gold led for the majority of the opening two sets, they found themselves trailing in set three. But when the score was 10-9 in favor of the Dolphins, Kutztown scored four straight points in combination of two kills from Britney Hewitt (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) and two points on the serve of James. From there, KU rode its momentum to take back the match lead.
 
Le Moyne never trailed in the following set, holding on for the 25-23 victory to bring the match back to a tie and force a do-or-die fifth set. The Dolphins recorded the first five points of set five and never looked back.
 
Owen finished with 22 kills and a .395 hitting percentage, while both Hewitt and Patterson both tallied 10 kills. James and Morrow combined for 38 assists, while James also added 10 digs and three service aces. Haylee Holsopple (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) was in on four blocks (one solo, three assisted).
 
Georgian Court 3, Kutztown 0
25-23, 25-20, 25-15
 
Despite losing all three sets, the Golden Bears were competitive throughout, and had their chances in each set to come out on top. But the host Lions were not going to let a match slip away on their home court.
 
Kutztown saw itself behind the entirety of the first set, but cut a late six-point deficit (24-18) to just one (24-23) with the game in the balance. Georgian Court stopped the Golden Bears run with a kill to end it.
 
KU scored the first two points of set two but played from behind from that point on. With the score tied at 19-19, the Lions rattled off the last six-of-seven. Georgian Court took control of the final set midway through. When the score read 15-12 in favor of the Lions, they scored eight straight and completed the three-set victory.
 
Freshman Lauren Jackson (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) contributed nine kills and a .615 hitting percentage. Alli Henderson (Boalsburg, Pa./State College) had an all-around game of four kills, three assists and five digs.