BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's volleyball team concluded the season with a straight-set defeat at the hands of the Bloomsburg Huskies in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division match on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Field House.
The Golden Bears (1-27, 0-14 PSAC East) came close to a set two victory, falling 25-23 to the Huskies (9-18, 6-8 PSAC East), but the home team earned a victory in the final home match of the season, picking up a 25-14 set one win while closing out the game in a 25-16 third set.
While Bloomsburg controlled most of the game, Kutztown took advantage of five straight Husky errors to take an early lead in the second set. It turned into a back-and-forth affair for the rest of the set, and while another pair of errors tied the frame at 22 apiece, Bloomsburg settled things down to claim the middle set.
Freshman Madison Lowe (Kearneysville, W. Va./Jefferson) led the way for Kutztown, recording six kills, three ace serves and a pair of block assists on her way to a ten-point night. Sarah Hess (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) also tallied six kills and two total blocks, finishing with eight points on the afternoon. Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) and Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) combined for 17 assists, while Mallory Hoch (Zionsville, Pa./Southern Lehigh) led the team with 12 digs.
Middle hitter Julia Post (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) was the only senior to see time on the floor for the Golden Bears, as the Sellersville, Pa., native recorded three solo blocks and led the squad with 3.5 total blocks. Post concludes her final season alongside fellow fourth-year players Anna Parmer (Firestone, Colo./Mead) and Grace Ingram (Allentown, Pa./William Allen).
The PSAC Women's Volleyball tournament was finalized on Saturday, with both Kutztown and Bloomsburg looking on the outside in. Shepherd and Shippensburg led the East Division, followed by East Stroudsburg and Millersville among the division's top four teams. Gannon, Indiana (Pa.), Clarion and Seton Hill filled out the West Division's bracket.
The Golden Bears finish their season with all of their opportunities in front of them. Their young roster was the focal point of the entire season, and they hope that a second season together allows them to achieve further growth over time as they look ahead to the future.
