ERIE, Pa. — After dropping the opening set, the Gannon volleyball team rallied to win three straight sets to defeat Pitt-Johnstown, 3-1, on Friday night inside the Highmark Events Center.
Pitt-Johnstown jumped out early and never looked back in the opening set, storming out to a 6-1 lead before pulling away for a 25-15 victory.
However, the Golden Knights responded by claiming the next three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-21 to secure the comeback victory.
With the win, Gannon improved to 15-3 overall and 5-1 in PSAC West play, while Pitt-Johnstown dropped to 9-6 overall and 3-3 in conference action.
Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) led the Golden Knights with a career-high 21 kills while hitting .304, and Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) added 12 kills. Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey) contributed 11 kills as Gannon finished with 53 kills and 49 assists in a match that featured a combined 24 service errors.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 3, Pitt-Johnstown 1 (15-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-21)
Records: Gannon (15-3, 5-1 PSAC West), Pitt-Johnstown (9-6, 3-3 PSAC West)
Location: Highmark Events Center – Erie, Pa.
Date: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Golden Knights Rally: After being held to just 15 points in the opening set, Gannon responded with three consecutive set victories to earn its 15th win of the season and fifth in PSAC West play.
- Career Night for Williams: Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) recorded a career-high 21 kills on 46 attempts while hitting .304. She also added five digs, two service aces and one block assist.
- Wake Delivers: Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) finished with 12 kills on 24 attempts, hitting a team-best .375 among players with at least 10 attempts. She also added four digs and two solo blocks.
- Yazicioglu Provides a Spark: Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey) recorded 11 kills while hitting .300 in three sets of action. She also contributed a service ace and three digs.
- Gainer Directs the Offense: Ava Gainer (Wheeling, W.Va./The Linsly School) dished out a match-high 42 assists while adding 10 digs for a double-double. She also recorded two kills and one service ace.
- Defensive Effort: Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) led Gannon with 17 digs, while Gabby Beaubrun (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) and Gainer each collected 10. The Golden Knights finished with 51 digs.
- Offensive Turnaround: After hitting just .031 in the opening set, Gannon found its rhythm offensively, hitting .263 in the second set, .333 in the third and .323 in the fourth. The Golden Knights recorded 45 of their 53 kills over the final three sets.
- Taking Control: Gannon used a strong second set to even the match at 1-1 before building an early lead in the third. The Golden Knights overcame a 16-16 tie in the third set and pulled away for a 25-20 victory to take a 2-1 advantage.
- Service Struggles: Both teams struggled from the service line as the match featured a combined 24 service errors. Pitt-Johnstown committed 14 errors, while Gannon finished with 10. Both teams recorded four service aces.
- Closing It Out: The fourth set featured eight ties and four lead changes, but the Golden Knights prevailed 25-21 to complete the comeback and secure the conference victory.
Up Next
Gannon returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Golden Knights host IUP in another PSAC West matchup at the Highmark Events Center. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
This story was written using the support of AI.
