by Christina Roukas

BRADFORD, Pa. – The fifth-seeded Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team continued its season by winning its first-round AMCC Tournament match against fourth seed Pitt-Bradford 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-20) on Wednesday night in KOA Arena.

The Lions (11-12) were able to avenge a loss to Pitt-Bradford (11-16) from earlier this season, when Penn State Altoona fell 3-1 to the Panthers on October 22 in Bradford. Now, Penn State Altoona keeps its season alive by advancing to the AMCC Tournament semifinal round, where the Lions will face top seed Alfred State College this Saturday, November 5 at 2:00 p.m. in Alfred, N.Y.

In the first set, Makenna Port (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) and Morgan Fussell (Blairsville, GA/Union County) teamed up on a duo block to break a 4-4 tie. Kayla Moran (Boalsburg, PA/State College) got a kill on a dump to tie the score, 7-7, and Lacee Barnhart (Bellefonte, PA/Bald Eagle) scored an ace to make it 15-14. Lydia Mock (Alum Bank, PA/Chestnut Ridge) scored a kill to hold the lead, 18-16, and her ace put the Lions one point away from set point, 24-18. Penn State Altoona won the first set 25-21. 

In the second set, Moran's ace put the Lions up 2-0. Mock's down-the-line kill made it 5-4, Port's hit off the block extended Altoona's lead to 11-6, and Mock scored a kill to put Altoona in a seven-point advantage, 17-10. Erin Lutz (State College, PA/State College) contributed two aces to put her team up 23-16, and Taylor Myers' (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch) tip closed the set, as Altoona won 25-16. 

In the third set, Mock's kill put Altoona up 3-1. After Pitt-Bradford went on an 8-2 run, Moran's kill kept the Lions within three, 9-6. A hit through a block from Mock tied the set, 13-13, and a Bradford error on the next point gave the Lions the lead. Altoona pulled away late, as Moran's ace made it 24-20 and Barnhart's kill closed the set 25-20.

Mock led Penn State Altoona with 12 points on 10 kills and two service aces, and she also tied for the match-high in digs with 15. Barnhart contributed 10 points on eight kills and two aces to go along with 13 digs and three assists.

Moran totaled 24 assists while adding seven digs, five kills, and two aces.

Lutz tied for the match-high in digs with 15 while leading all players on the night with four aces. Allie Godwin (Pittsburgh, PA/West Allegheny) had eight digs.

Fussell led all players in the match with five total blocks, finishing with one solo block and four block assists. Myers and Port each recorded one solo block and two block assists.