ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Kutztown volleyball could be better known as the cardiac kids this weekend, specifically Saturday, as KU won a pair of five-set thrillers to finish up play at the Elizabeth City State Tournament over the course of the last two days in Elizabeth City, N.C. Three of its four matches this weekend went five sets, all in favor of Kutztown.
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The Golden Bears (8-1 overall) are off to their best start to open a season since 2011, when the program went 10-1 their first 11 games. On Saturday, the Maroon and Gold first had to climb all the way back from down two sets to zero and complete the reverse sweep over Chowan by scores of 21-25, 10-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-7, bright and early in the morning. Later in the evening, Kutztown had to do the opposite and prevent a reverse sweep as it won the opening two sets before being taken to the fifth. It held on to defeat Belmont Abbey 26-24, 25-19, 19-25, 16-25, 15-10, to complete an unbeaten 4-0 campaign at the event. KU beat the host Vikings in straight sets Friday and followed that up later that day with a five-set victory over Glenville State.
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On the day, senior
Paige Skinner (Placerville, Calif./Ponderosa) finished with 42 kills, including a season-best 24 against the Crusaders. She also had 13 digs.
Ellie White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) recorded 18 kills, five digs and one block. Both
Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) and
Grace White (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown) tallied 17 kills, with Bogovic adding nine assists and five digs and White contributing six blocks.
Abby Polo (Coventry, Conn./Coventry) had seven kills and 22 assists and
Emma Baldridge (Damascus, Md./Damascus) finished with 48 assists and six digs.
Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) recorded 28 digs.
Jaedyn Bartholomew (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) tallied eight kills and four blocks.
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Kutztown next has a road non-conference match at Georgian Court next Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 6 p.m.
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