KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's volleyball has seen a youth movement to its roster in 2024 and it took shape in its opening match. KU, which started five freshman and two sophomores, competed from start to finish in the first match of the regular season, for some, first match of their collegiate careers, as the Golden Bears lost to Felician in a non-conference match in four sets at Keystone Arena.
Scores of the match were 25-19, 25-27, 18-25 and 22-25.
Kutztown, playing in front of the home crowd, used that energy from the get go and turned a late deficit into a come-from-behind victory to get things going. KU trailed 13-8, but rallied for the next five points, highlighted by kills from
Christina Lockett (Gaithersburg, Md./Tuscarora) and
Noelle Slye (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) to tie the score. The Maroon and Gold found themselves behind 18-16, but scored nine of the final 10 points to secure the win.
The Golden Falcons, however, answered with three straight set victories, winning the second set in extra play to prevent the Golden Bears from taking a commanding 2-0 advantage in the match. Felician was on top 23-20, but Kutztown recorded four points in-a-row with a kill by
Bryanna Carter (Abingdon, Md./Edgewood), back-to-back blocks by the tandem of Carter and
Sarah Hess (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) and an attacking error by the Golden Falcons, to pull within one point of its second straight set win. But Felician tied the score and then tallied three of the last four points to even the match.
They continued their momentum and rallied from down 5-1 to take set three and then came from behind once again in the fourth set, trailing 19-16 to score nine of the final 12 points for the match win.
Hess led the attack with nine kills and recorded a career-best eight blocks. Carter tallied eight kills, four blocks and five assists. Slye recorded seven kills and five digs. Lockett had six kills.
Kat Dalessio (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) finished with 13 assists and five digs.
Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) contributed 20 digs and 14 assists and
Lexi McLanahan (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) added 22 digs and six aces.
Kutztown will compete in a tri-match tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 7, at Holy Family. The Golden Bears will take on the host Tigers in the first match at 11 a.m., followed by a match against Saint Thomas Aquinas to follow at 1 p.m.
