Kutztown University Athletics

MERTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's volleyball was not only searching for some revenge, but also for an important PSAC East Division victory to help keep it in the running for the one seed. After winning the opening set, KU was in control of taking a 2-0 lead, but East Stroudsburg rallied, took that set and then won sets four and five to take the five-set thriller Friday night at Brandywine Heights Area High School.
 
Four of the five sets were decided by five points or less as the Golden Bears (20-8 overall, 8-4 PSAC East) were downed 25-14, 26-28, 25-23, 20-25, 14-16, in a meeting of two teams not only competing for the PSAC East, but also one of the final NCAA Tournament berths.
 
The Maroon and Gold took a 6-6 first set and went ahead 12-6 with six straight points. They then had a 4-0 rally and were never really challenged the rest of the way. In the second set they led 19-9 after a kill by Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown), but the Warriors (16-8, 9-3) went on to score 15 of the next 19 points to go ahead 24-23 and even the match at 1-1. The teams traded sets once again the next two and then were back-and-forth in the fifth and final set. Tied at 14-14 after a Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) kill, ESU recorded back-to-back kills to finish off the thrilling match and earn the season sweep over KU.
 
White had a career-night hitting for Kutztown, finishing with a career-high 18 kills and a .471 hit percentage, and also had a season-best eight blocks. Bogovic tallied 16 kills and 13 digs. Paige Skinner (Placerville, Calif./Ponderosa) recorded 13 kills, 14 digs and four blocks. Jaedyn Bartholomew (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) totaled seven kills and five blocks. Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) notched 24 assists and 14 digs and Abby Polo (Coventry, Conn./Coventry) contributed 25 assists. Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) added a season-high 30 digs to lead the defense.
 
Kutztown will look to bounce back and win for the final time on its 2026 home court during the regular season as it hosts Shepherd in the home finale tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. It is senior night and KU will recognize Skinner, Kristina Diaz (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) and Mallory Hoch (Zionsville, Pa./Southern Lehigh) prior to the match.

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