Kutztown University Athletics

MERTZTOWN, Pa. – For the first time since the 2011 season, Kutztown women's volleyball will be competing in the postseason. After KU took down Lock Haven in four sets in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division match Friday night at Brandywine Heights Area High School, it qualified for the PSAC Tournament, which begins Nov. 9.
 
Scores of the match were 25-21, 12-25, 25-23, 25-21.
 
This year, five teams from both the East and West Divisions will make the tournament. Currently, the Golden Bears sit in a three-way tie for first in the East, taking down the Bald Eagles, who entered Friday in sole possession of first place.
 
Kutztown (20-6 overall, 8-2 PSAC East) earned its 20th victory of the season, marking the first time since 2011, when that KU squad won 24 matches.
 
Friday night, the Maroon and Gold played like they could sense the playoffs were right in their grasps, wanting to take down the top team and show they belonged in that spot.
 
Junior middle hitter Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown), this week's PSAC East Athlete of the Week, was one of several sparks to the successful night. She finished with season-highs in kills (14) and blocks (7). The blocks at the net by her and her sister Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) (6), along with Jaedyn Bartholomew (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) (3) and Abby Polo (Coventry, Conn./Coventry) (4), were a defining aspect of the night as the team recorded 13 blocks, to LHU's six. The blockers really gave the Bald Eagles' hitters fits all night.
 
Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) led the attack with 15 kills and 13 digs for the double-double, along with two blocks and an assist. Paige Skinner (Placerville, Calif./Ponderosa) recorded 11 kills and 12 digs for another double-double. Bartholomew had five kills and three blocks and Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) tallied three kills, six blocks, three digs and two service aces. Polo totaled 27 assists in her first career start, and Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) added 14 assists and six digs. Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) contributed 15 digs and Julia Riley (Secane, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) had 11.
 
Kutztown is back in action tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 24, and will remain home as it hosts Shippensburg at 6 p.m., on homecoming. The Golden Bears defeated the Raiders in four sets back on Oct. 13.

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