Kutztown University Athletics

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Coming off a turnaround season last fall, the Kutztown University women's volleyball team got off to a fast start in 2026 with a pair of convincing 3-0 sweeps over Lock Haven and D'Youville on Friday at the D'Youville University Tournament.
 
The Golden Bears enjoyed a 14-win improvement in head coach Jason Barshinger's first season and expectations are high this season after KU was picked fourth in the PSAC East Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Senior Paige Skinner (Placerville, Calif./Ponderosa) led the Bears (2-0) in kills in both matches, combining for 23 on the day, while reigning PSAC East Freshman of the Year Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) had 15. Defensively, Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) tallied 22 digs in the victories and Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) had eight blocks, six of which came against D'Youville.
 
Friday's results give Kutztown its first back-to-back wins and 3-0 sweeps to start a season since 2018, when the Maroon and Gold went 3-0 with three consecutive sweeps at the Kutztown Classic.
 
KUTZTOWN 3, LOCK HAVEN 0
25-16, 25-12, 27-25
 
The Golden Bears used a strong first set in which they hit .367 with 13 kills on 30 attempts to put the Bald Eagles in a hole they could never climb out of.
 
Skinner, Bogovic, Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown), Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) and Jaedyn Bartholomew (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) all had multiple kills in the opening set. KU trailed briefly in the early stages of the set but three kills by Skinner coupled with a handful of Lock Haven (1-1) errors allowed the Bears to take control with an 11-3 run.
 
Kutztown collected six of its 12 service aces in the second and Lock Haven attacked at a negative clip leading to a dominant 25-12 victory. The Golden Bears again put together a massive run, this time 14-1. Bogovic had three straight aces, Thibodeaux added two and Skinner recorded a pair of kills.
 
The third proved to be much closer but KU staved off two set points before scoring the final three to complete the sweep, 27-25. Skinner had four kills, while Bartholomew and Bogovic chipped in three apiece.
 
Kutztown did not allow a service ace from the Bald Eagles in the match, the first time the Bears have held an opponent without one since achieving the feat twice during the 2014 season, most recently against Cheyney on Nov. 8, 2014.
 
Skinner registered a match-high 11 kills in the win. Bogovic totaled seven kills and eight digs, while Bartholomew and Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) had six kills each. Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) (19) and Abby Polo (Coventry, Conn./Coventry) (11) collected double-digit assists and Thibodeaux had 11 digs.
 
KUTZTOWN 3, D'YOUVILLE 0
25-16, 25-19, 25-21
 
Kutztown controlled the host Saints behind an outstanding performance from Skinner, who finished with a team-high 12 kills and match-high seven aces.
 
The Golden Bears had two different scoring spurts of at least five points in the first set, including a 7-0 run late that pushed their advantage to 22-13. Skinner had five kills, three digs and two aces in the set.
 
Skinner, a senior outside hitter from Placerville, Calif., continued to have the hot hand in a 25-19 second set triumph with five more kills and three aces. Bogovic had four kills and KU's .250 hitting percentage (12 kills-4 errors-32 attempts) was its best of the match.
 
Kutztown trailed 19-17 before scoring the final eight points to take the set. Skinner had a kill and two aces in the run and Bartholomew had a kill and a block.
 
A balanced attack in the third set helped the Golden Bears complete the Friday double sweep. Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) had three kills and four KU players finished with multiple kills in the set.
 
Bogovic amassed eight kills and nine digs and Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) had seven kills along with Skinner's big match to pace the offense. Polo (15 assists) and Baldridge (14 assists) split setting duties, while Thibodeaux picked up 11 more digs and Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) contributed six blocks (one solo).
 
UP NEXT
Kutztown concludes its opening weekend of play at the D'Youville University Tournament, Saturday, with matches against Pitt-Johnstown (12 p.m.) and Lewis (2 p.m.).

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