ERIE, PA -- The Gannon University women's volleyball team moved to 2-0 in the PSAC West on Saturday afternoon with a three-set sweep of Pitt-Johnstown at Highmark Events Center.

Madde Blake (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) recorded a season-high 14 kills and Sam Deinek (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon East) added 12 as the Golden Knights won by scores of 25-11, 25-19, 25-16. Coach Matt Darling's team improved to 8-4 overall and has won four of its past five matches.

Freshman setter Bengiso Arslan led Gannon with 34 assists and added 10 digs, while Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) had a team-high 16 digs. Makenna Gavin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth) contributed eight kills. 

Pitt-Johnstown (6-8, 0-2) played without hitter Lualis Alvarado, who was the Mountain Cats' leader in kills by a wide margin coming into the match.

"It was a good win," Darling said. "Offensively, we were very clean, recognizing that Pitt-Johnstown was playing without probably their best player. We thought we'd have some advantages there. Under the circumstances they played pretty well, but they just weren't putting balls away and we were able to turn that into offense."

He acknowledged Blake for stepping forward with a big performance.

"She had a lot of points tonight -- 16 points for her," Darling said.  "She scored a lot of different ways. Her attacking was very good; she served tough. It was just a really great performance for her. She's solid, but she had a highlight performance today."

Darling was happy to move to 2-0 in the conference. "It's better than being 1-1 or 0-2. That's where we want to be."

Gannon will have four consecutive road matches starting with Mercyhurst on Tuesday. The Knights' next home match will be a big one against Clarion on Friday, October 7.