Ashley Beyers
Matt Mead Photography LLC
3
Winner Gannon GAN 26-5, 17-1 PSAC
0
Clarion CLAR 19-11, 11-7 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN
26-5, 17-1 PSAC
3
Final
0
Clarion CLAR
19-11, 11-7 PSAC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Gannon GAN 25 25 25 (3)
Clarion CLAR 14 22 16 (0)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | David Rung, Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Tops Clarion To Run Win Streak To 11, Clinches Top Seed In PSAC Tournament

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Gannon 3, Clarion 0
  • Set Scores: 25-14, 25-23, 25-16
  • Records: Gannon (26-5, 17-1 PSAC) | Clarion (19-11, 11-7 PSAC)
  • Location: W. S. Tippin Gymnasium — Clarion, Pa.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER  
KEY SEQUENCE
  • Trading points late in the second set, Gannon closed strong with a kill from Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) and block from Kerestes and Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) to earn a 25-23 win to go up 2-0 in the match. Clarion kept it close early in the third, but Gannon never trailed on the way to a sweep that clinched the top seed in the PSAC tournament.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Three straight kills to open the match got the Knights out to a strong start, and a four-point burst quickly made it 8-3 as Gannon led by at least two the rest of the set. The Golden Eagles got it to 9-7 and 11-8, but a six-point run featuring a kill and an ace from Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) and a block by Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) and Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) put Gannon in charge.
  • Smith was all over the court late in the opening set, turning in two kills, a block and an assist on an Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) kill to help the Knights close out the 25-14 set win.
  • A kill from Sampson and a block from the sophomore and Greenfield gave Gannon a 4-2 edge early in the second. Clarion tied it at 5-all and 7-all with two-point runs, and drew even at 11-11 as neither team could create any space on the scoreboard.
  • Two straight kills by Greenfield and another from McClung gave the Knights a little bit of breathing room at 15-12, but the Golden Eagles didn't go away, going on a 5-2 run to tie it up at 17-17. The two sides traded points from there until a 23-23 draw, after which the Knights closed strong with the final two points.
  • An error followed by two kills from Smith got Gannon out to a 3-1 lead to start the third. Kerestes took over from there, notching two kills around blocks with Beyers and Sampson to bump that lead out to 7-3. Clarion got it back to a three-point game before four straight points, capped by kills out of Smith and McClung, quickly made it 14-7.
  • The Golden Eagles went on a 6-1 run to get it back to a four-point spread, but Gannon halted the momentum there and closed it out with the final five points of the day to lock up the win.
 
GAME NOTES
  • The victory closed the regular season and clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming PSAC tournament for the Knights, who have the opportunity to host the PSAC Final Four for the fourth consecutive season with a win in Tuesday's quarterfinal.
  • Gannon will enter the postseason on an 11-match winning streak, all of those wins 3-0 sweeps. The Knights' 33-set winning streak is the second-longest active streak in Division II.
  • Smith turned in a match-high 17 kills on .438 hitting. The senior has recorded at least 14 kills in each of the last four matches, and is averaging 4.30 kills per set during the team's winning streak. She also added 10 digs for her fourth straight double-double and 14th of the season
  • Beyers continues to turn in excellent performances at setter. Saturday saw the junior go for 40 assists, nine digs and a pair of blocks. It was the 13th match of the season that saw her put up at least 40 assists, and she is averaging 12.58 assists per set during the team's streak.
  • Toni Leitshuh (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) went for 26 digs, matching her season high for a three-set match.
  • Greenfield finished with nine kills on .412 hitting, her most kills since a run of three straight matches with at least 11 in early October.
UP NEXT
  • Gannon hosts the first round of the PSAC tournament against Edinboro on Tuesday evening.
  • The 7 p.m. first serve from the Hammermill Center will feature live video and live stats.
  • The Knights are 36-27 all-time against the Fighting Scots after picking up a pair of wins this season, including a 3-0 sweep Thursday evening.
  • Edinboro finished the regular season 16-13 and 10-8 in PSAC play.
Print Friendly Version