ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon Volleyball team put all puzzle pieces together on Tuesday night with a 3-0 sweep of the Daemen Wildcats. The Lady Knights downed the visiting Wildcats, 25-18, 25-18, 25-9. Highlights and a Webcast Replay are both available from the match.

Gannon used a strong performance from Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) as the sophomore issued 15 kills on 31 total attacks, touting an impressive .419 hitting percentage. Gannon hit .245 as a team with 34 kills on 98 total attacks.

In set one the Lady Knights battled with the Wildcats through the first half of the set. Down 7-6, Gannon rattled off a quick 6-2 run to take a 12-9 lead. The run included two kills from Kelsey Ansec (Solon, Ohio/Solon). The Lady Knights took their first four-point lead at 17-13 on another Ansec kill. She had five of her seven kills in the first set. Gannon pulled away at the end of the set, winning 25-18.

Set two began with a strong push from the Wildcats. Daemen jumped out to an 8-1 advantage before a Wildlcat service error turned the tide. Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) followed with a kill and Gannon stormed back to take an 11-10 lead. Lexi Johnson (Chandler, Ariz./Basha) added a kill that helped balloon the lead to 14-11. Daemen wasn't down for long, the Wildcats mounted a late comeback to tie the set at 17 and then 18. From that point Gannon scored the final eight points of the set, taking it 25-18.

Gannon dominated the final set. Ansec began the set with a kill and provided the momentum throughout the set. Toni Leitshuh (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central), Rebekah Smith (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) and A. Smith each chipped in kills to push the lead out to 14-7 in favor of the Lady Knights, forcing a Wildcat timeout. The Lady Knights continued to roll, however. Gannon scored 11 of the final 13 points, taking the set 25-9.

Carolyn Knollman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) led Gannon in assists with 16, while Sara Crandall (Cattaraugus, N.Y./Cattaraugus-Little Valley) was the only Lady Knight to record double-digit digs (10). 

Gannon improved to 7-2 and will now turn its attention to the Urbana Invitational this weekend. The Lady Knights will take on the host Blue Knights on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., followed by Roberts Wesleyan (11 a.m.) and Lindenwood (3 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 16. Daemen fell to 1-7 on the season. Gannon moved to 9-1 all-time against the Wildcats.