Lions Beat La Roche 3-1 in Pink Out Match
by Christina Roukas
ALTOONA, Pa. – In the Lions' annual Pink Out match in support of breast cancer awareness on Wednesday night, the Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team got back in the win column by defeating Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent La Roche University in a 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-19) decision at the Adler Arena.
In the first set, Kayla Moran (Boalsburg, PA/State College) scored on a dump to break a 2-2 tie for Penn State Altoona (9-11, 4-2 AMCC). Lydia Mock's (Alum Bank, PA/Chestnut Ridge) kill made it 10-7, but La Roche (12-12, 3-3 AMCC) came back to tie the match, 11-11. Lacee Barnhart's (Bellefonte, PA/Bald Eagle) roll shot put the Lions up 13-11, and her ace made it 17-14. However, La Roche tied the match once again, 22-22, and went on to win the first set, 25-22.
The second set started off neck-and-neck with an early tie, 5-5, until Mock's back row kill made it 6-5. Morgan Fussell (Blairville, GA/Union County) put up a solo block to make it 11-8, and Makenna Port (Bellefonte,PA/Bellefonte) scored a kill to make it 16-13. Fussell and Taylor Myers (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch) teamed up on a block to extend Altoona's lead to six points, 23-17, and the Lions won the second set 25-18.
In the third set, Port scored a kill to give the Lions a 7-5 lead, and Barnhart's kill made it 9-6. Later, Altoona went on a five-point scoring run to up its advantage to 16-8. Mock scored a kill to increase Altoona's lead to seven points, 20-13, and a roll shot from Barnhart made it 22-13. Port scored a kill to make it 23-14, and Myers' kill closed the set, 25-14.
In the fourth set, Myers put Altoona on the board first with a kill, and she scored another kill to tie the match at 5-5. After La Roche took a brief lead, Allie Godwin (Pittsburgh, PA/West Allegheny) served an ace to tie the score, 9-9, which was part of a five-point scoring streak that set the Lions' advantage at 12-9. With the score tied 15-15 later, back-to-back kills by Myers put Altoona on top, 17-15. Fussell and Myers combined for a duo block to make it 18-15, and Moran's kill put her team up by four, 22-18. Barnhart recorded the winning kill to close the set at 25-19.
Mock led Penn State Altoona with 15 points on 15 kills while adding 25 digs. Myers contributed 14 points, 12 kills, and three total blocks (one solo block, two block assists), and Barnhart had 11 points on eight kills and a team-high three service aces to go along with 16 digs.
Port totaled nine points on eight kills and one solo block, and Fussell tallied seven points on five kills and three total blocks (one solo block, two block assists).
Moran finished with a match-high 42 assists while also contributing 17 digs and three kills.
Erin Lutz (State College, PA/State College) and Godwin each had career-high marks for digs, with Lutz leading all players in the match with 34 digs and Godwin posting 15 digs.
The Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team's next match is at home in the Adler Arena this Friday, October 28 against non-conference opponent Lycoming College. It will be a special match for the Lions, who will be celebrating their four senior players. The match is set to start at 7:00 p.m.
