JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Gannon earned a season sweep of Pitt-Johnstown after picking up 3-0 win over the Mountain Cats at the UPJ Sports Center on Saturday afternoon. Gannon won the match by set scores of 25-21, 25-11 and 25-17.
With the win, Gannon improves to 22-5 overall and 9-3 in the PSAC West. UPJ falls to 12-9 overall and 5-7 in league play.
Gannon hit .204 in the match with 45 kills compared to just 16 attack errors. Gannon held statistical advantages in nearly every category, including kills (45-25), service aces (7-2), total blocks (11-6), assists (41-25) and digs (79-69).
"Today's win felt great, and we benefitted from a great defensive performance by Lauren (Sampson) and very solid middle play by Ashley (Kerestes) and Maggie (Greenfield)," said Gannon head volleyball coach
Matt Darling. "This was also probably our best passing game of the year so far. Hopefully we can build on what we did today."
Sam Deinek (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon East) led Gannon's balanced offensive attack in the victory with 12 kills and five digs.
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) also had a big day with nine kills and seven total blocks (1 solo).
Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) and
Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) also chipped in eight kills apiece, while
Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) drove home seven kills.
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) guided the GU offense with 40 assists and also chipped in 10 digs and four block assists.
In addition to her seven kills, Sampson also led Gannon defensively with a team-high 26 digs.
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) (17) and
Kirsten Leitshuh (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln Way West High School) (10) also reached double-figure digs for the Golden Knights.
Grace Miller led Pitt-Johnstown with seven kills and 15 digs in the setback. Cassie Pascarella and Lualis Alvarado also chipped in six kills apiece for the Mountain Cats. Erin Carmody led UPJ defensively with 30 digs. UPJ totaled just 25 kills on the attack.
Gannon will return home on Tuesday evening for a 7 p.m. matchup against Mercyhurst at the Hammermill Center.
