ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Penn State Altoona women's volleyball took a loss on the road Thursday night, when the Lions were swept 3-0 by non-conference opponent Elizabethtown College in the Thompson Gymnasium.

Elizabethtown (3-3) won the first set 25-20, pulled out a hard-fought 29-27 win in the second set, then closed the match out with a 25-17 victory in the third.

Lia Simanski (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) put up a team-high 12 points on 11 kills and one service ace for Penn State Altoona (3-6). Lacee Barnhart (Bellefonte, PA/Bald Eagle) totaled 8.5 points on seven kills, an ace, and a block assist to go along with seven digs.

Karlie Feathers (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) added seven points on seven kills, and Taylor Myers (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch) had 6.5 points on six kills and a block assist.

Gabriella Serra (Queens, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) tallied 20 assists while also finishing with six digs.

Anna Batrus (Altoona, PA/Altoona) led all players in the match with 22 digs.

In the first set, Penn State Altoona worked its way out to a 9-7 lead, including getting service aces from Serra, Barnhart, and Simanski during that span. But a 5-0 run by Elizabethtown put the home team in front, and the Blue Jays never relinquished their advantage the rest of the set. Penn State Altoona got to within two points, 18-16, after a Simanski kill. But Elizabethtown held the lead and won the set 25-20.

Penn State Altoona again held a slim lead early in the second set, only to have the Blue Jays overtake it. After a kill from Myers, the Lions were up 10-8, but a 6-1 run from Elizabethtown gave the home squad a 14-11 advantage. Penn State Altoona pulled back into the set, eventually tying the match at 22-22 on a block from Barnhart and Makenna Port (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte). Elizabethtown scored the next two points to get to set point, but Penn State Altoona stayed alive by getting kills from Feathers and Simanski, knotting the score at 24-24. The teams traded points over the next several plays and found themselves deadlocked at 27-27. After that, a Penn State Altoona error and an Elizabethtown ace helped the Blue Jays close out the set, 29-27.

Elizabethtown carried its momentum into the third set, when it established a 10-3 advantage to start. The Blue Jays expanded their lead to as many as 10 points during the set and eventually won it 25-17.

Penn State Altoona women's volleyball's next match is on the road, when the Lions will travel to face non-conference foe Lycoming College on Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m.