CALIFORNIA, Pa. - The Gannon women's volleyball team dropped a 3-2 decision to the host California (Pa.) Vulcans on Friday evening at Hamer Hall with set scores of 20-25, 25-18, 17-25, 25-23 and 11-15. Trailing 2-1 in the match, the Lady Knights managed to force a fifth set against the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division leading Vulcans. In the fifth set, the Vulcans captured a 15-11 win to remain undefeated in PSAC play at 14-0. The Lady Knights dropped to 14-9 on the season and 9-5 in conference action, while the Vulcans improved to 21-4 overall.
Freshman
Hannah Kren (Waukesha, Wisc. / Wisconsin Lutheran) and junior
Maggie Desrosiers (Uniontown, Ohio / Hoover) each recorded double-doubles for the Lady Knights. Kren collected 18 kills, two service aces and a career-high 27 digs. Desrosiers compiled 10 kills and 13 digs along with a block assist. Junior
Megan Wendel (Aurora, Ohio / Kenston) registered 51 assists. Junior
Taryn Graham (Huron, Ohio / Huron) set a career-high with 35 digs. Sophomore
Lynne Hibbard (West Barnstable, Mass. / Barnstable) tied a career-high with 11 kills and two block assists. Sophomore
Morgan Walters (Girard, Ohio / Girard) recorded 29 digs and freshman
Demma Strausbaugh (Defiance, Ohio / Defiance) set a career-high in kills with 12.
The Lady Knights' rallying attempt from a 2-1 deficit came up just short. Forcing a fifth set after a 25-23 win in the fourth set, the Lady Knights were unable to overcome a 7-2 lead by the Vulcans to open the final set. Pulling within two of the Vulcans' lead at 10-8 and 11-9, the early lead was too much for the Lady Knights, as they fell 15-11 to the Vulcans in the deciding set.
Despite falling behind 6-2 in the first set, the Lady Knights erased the Vulcans' lead to tie the set at 6-6 off two kills by Kren and two Vulcan errors. Off a 6-1 run, the Vulcans took a 12-7 lead over the Lady Knights. The Vulcans pushed their lead to 18-11, which would solidify their win in the opening set. The closest the Lady Knights pulled within the Vulcans was on the second to last point after a Cal service-error. The Vulcans sealed the 25-20 win with a Gannon service error to take a 1-0 lead.
After fighting point-for-point early on in the second set, the Lady Knights took control with the score tied 12-12. The Lady Knights captured a 15-12 lead off three straight Vulcan errors. The Vulcans managed to pull within one of the Lady Knights, 17-16, with two consecutive points. The Lady Knights extended their lead to 20-16 off three Vulcan errors once again. With a 21-18 lead, the Lady Knights finished off the Vulcans with kills by Kren and Hibbard followed by back-to-back kills by Strausbaugh for a 25-18 win.
With the match tied at 1-1, the Lady Knights fell into a 12-4 hole in the third set. The Vulcans managed to take their lead to double-digits with a 19-9 lead followed by a 24-14 lead late in the set. Any attempt for a Gannon rally was too late, as the Vulcans seized the third set with a 25-17 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
After three tied scores early in the fourth set, the Lady Knights grabbed control with the score tied at 8-8. Going on a 10-3 run, the Lady Knights took an 18-11 lead including three kills by Kren and two by Hibbard. Tallying four straight points, California (Pa.) pulled within three of the Lady Knights, 18-15. Trailing 24-18, the Vulcans scored five uncontested to cut the Lady Knights' lead to one, 24-23. Kren sealed the Lady Knights' 25-23 win with a kill off an assist by Wendel to tie the match at 2-2.
Gannon returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 26 when they travel to Seton Hill to face the Griffins at 1 p.m.
