Photo (by Frank Perehinec): #9 Alexis Cannistraci and #2 Vee Skripek go up to attempt a block during Saturday's match against Shenango in the Adler Aux Gym.
Photo (by Frank Perehinec): #9 Alexis Cannistraci and #2 Vee Skripek go up to attempt a block during Saturday's match against Shenango in the Adler Aux Gym.

Women’s Volleyball Starts Season with Victories

ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team got its 2019 season off to a great start on Saturday afternoon, when the Lady Lions posted 3-0 wins over Chatham University and Penn State Shenango in the Adler Gym.

Match One: Penn State Altoona 3, Chatham 0

Penn State Altoona (1-0) recorded a win in its first match of the season, defeating Chatham (1-1) 25-21, 25-9, 25-15 in the first event of Saturday's tri-match.

Jenna Bauer (Ebensburg, PA/Central Cambria) had a match-high nine kills and four service aces for the Lady Lions. Lydia Mock (Alum Bank, PA/Chestnut Ridge) had six kills, nine digs, and two aces, and Velanna Skripek (Moshannon, PA/Bald Eagle) and Alexis Cannistraci (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) finished with four kills apiece.

Kayla Moran (Boalsburg, PA/State College) led all players in the match with 12 assists, and Emily Bryan (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro) added eight assists, six digs, and two aces.

Lauren Diller (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) posted a match-high 11 digs for Penn State Altoona.

Match Two: Penn State Altoona 3, Penn State Shenango 0

The Lady Lions finished their day by cruising to a 3-0 victory over Penn State Shenango (0-2) in what was an exhibition match for Penn State Altoona. The home squad swept Shenango 25-4, 25-20, 25-15.

Bauer again led the Lady Lions in kills with nine. Mock contributed seven kills to go along with a team-best 10 digs, Skripek had six kills, and Sara Russo (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) added three kills.

Bryan tallied 10 assists to go along with eight digs, and Moran also put up 10 assists while chipping in five digs.

Lexie Dorcon (Berlin, PA/Berlin Brothersvalley) finished with eight digs.

As a team, Penn State Altoona totaled an impressive 14 service aces. Mock led the way with four aces while Dorcon and Moran had three apiece, Bryan had two, and Bauer and Cannistraci had one each.

Penn State Altoona women's volleyball continues its schedule on Friday, September 6, when the Lady Lions will hit the road to face Lebanon Valley College in a match starting at 8:00 p.m.

Notes: In the second match of the day, Chatham defeated Penn State Shenango 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-15).