PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Kutztown women's volleyball won its first match of the 2025 regular season in just its second match of the year as it split a pair of matches Saturday afternoon at the Holy Family tri-match in Philadelphia.
 
The Golden Bears (1-2 overall) defeated Lincoln in straight sets by scores of 25-12, 28-26 and 25-20. Immediately after that victory, the Maroon and Gold squared off with host Holy Family and fell in straight sets by scores of 25-9, 25-12 and 25-22.
 
Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) paced the attack with a team-best 14 kills and added 19 digs and two blocks. Lauren Montgomery (Norristown, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph Academy) finished with 13 kills, three digs and two blocks. Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) tallied nine kills and four blocks. Molly Wentz (Leola, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) recorded eight kills and a dig. Madison Lowe (Kearneysville, W. Va./Jefferson) notched seven kills and 11 digs. Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) contributed 32 assists and 19 digs, the first match finishing with a double-double. Alice Frank (Allentown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) added 22 assists and six digs. Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) had 23 digs.
 
Kutztown will next host its annual Shannon Sullivan Memorial Tournament next weekend, running Friday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 13. KU will first take on Bowie State on Friday at 5 p.m., and then will play PSAC West foe California on Saturday at 1 p.m., and finish off the tournament against Caldwell at 5:30 p.m.
 
Kutztown 3, Lincoln 0
 
The Maroon and Gold were on point throughout most of the match with the Lions, including a .444 hit percentage in the third and final set with a season-high 19 kills and just three errors. KU left little doubt early on, winning the opening set 25-12. It actually started off slowly, trailing 4-1, but quickly rallied for six points in-a-row and nine of the next 10 overall. The Golden Bears took control of the match, extending a 12-9 advantage into an 18-9 lead. The set ended on a Lions set error.
 
Just as it did the night prior, Kutztown won an extended second set that went beyond the 25 points for a victory. Last night, KU took set two over Chestnut Hill 32-30, and Saturday afternoon was 28-26. Unlike in the opening set against Lincoln, the Golden Bears held an early lead, scoring five of the first six points. They were on top 12-8 before the Lions netted six unanswered to go ahead 14-12. From that point, there would be 10 ties and five lead changes before a Montgomery kill finished off the set and a 2-0 lead for her team.
 
The third set once again saw the Maroon and Gold take a sizeable lead early, going on a 14-5 run to begin. Lincoln pulled to within three points three different times, including the last at 19-16, but five different Golden Bears came up with kills to help close out the deal, including Montgomery, Lowe, Wentz, White and Bogovic.
 
Holy Family 3, Kutztown 0
 
The second match against the host Tigers was a little bit tougher as Kutztown lost in straight sets.
 
KU fell into a hole early in the first set and couldn't climb out, going down 5-0 and then 19-5 as Holy Family had a 7-0 run in the middle of the set and finished it scoring six of the final 10 points. The second set was a little of the same as the Golden Bears fell behind 9-2 and couldn't get closer than four the rest of the way.
 
The third set was more competitive as the Maroon and Gold opened with a 3-0 start, before the Tigers scored five in-a-row. Kutztown took the lead right back with three consecutive points, highlighted by a Lowe kill. KU later found itself ahead 17-13 and then 19-17, but HFU was able to rally in front of its home crowd to pull off the sweep.

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