JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Carlee Webber (Anamosa, IA/Marion) recorded a career-high 16 kills, but the Gannon volleyball team suffered a five-set setback to Pitt-Johnstown on Friday evening at the Sports Center. The Mountain Cats prevailed 25-20, 14-25, 25-15, 17-25, 15-13 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division matchup.
Pitt-Johnstown improved to 12-10 overall and 6-7 in the PSAC West.
"This is a tough loss to swallow for us. Besides Carlee, who was great today, we all struggled—I, as head coach, along with everyone else," said Gannon head coach
Matt Darling.
The Golden Knights dropped to 20-5 overall and 10-3 in conference play but secured the No. 2 seed in the PSAC West, guaranteeing a home match in the upcoming PSAC Tournament. The second-place finish marks the first time since 2015 that Gannon has not claimed at least a share of the regular-season divisional title, ending a remarkable streak of nine consecutive crowns dating back to 2016.
The streak excludes the 2020 season, when the PSAC did not sponsor conference competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"On the plus side, we know that we'll be at home for one more match, and that will be exciting. We still have a chance to do something special, and for the first time in over a decade, we'll be one of the underdogs. It might be good for us. You never know," added Darling.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: Pitt-Johnstown 3, Gannon 2 (25-20, 14-25, 25-15, 17-25, 15-13)
Records: Gannon (20-5, 10-3 PSAC West), Pitt-Johnstown (12-10, 6-7 PSAC West)
Location: Sports Center – Johnstown, Pa.
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Career Night for Webber: Carlee Webber (Anamosa, IA/Marion) led the Golden Knights with a career-high 16 kills while committing just three attack errors on 26 attempts for an impressive .500 hitting percentage. She also contributed three block assists.
- Balanced Offensive Contributions: Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts), Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey) and Brooke Gwiazda (Frankfort, Ill./Peotone) finished with nine kills apiece, while Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) added six. Williams also recorded four service aces and 10 digs.
- Golden Knights Respond in Second Set: After dropping the opening set 25-20, Gannon bounced back with a commanding 25-14 victory in the second frame. The Golden Knights hit .360 with 11 kills and just two attack errors while limiting Pitt-Johnstown to a .026 hitting percentage.
- Mountain Cats Take Third Set: Pitt-Johnstown regained control with a 25-15 victory in the third set, hitting .524 with 13 kills and only two errors. Gannon managed seven kills and hit .043 in the frame.
- Fourth-Set Surge Forces Decider: Facing a 2-1 deficit, Gannon responded with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set. The Golden Knights used a 9-1 run to stretch an 11-10 advantage into a 20-11 lead, highlighted by three consecutive service aces from Williams. Gannon hit .323 in the set to force a decisive fifth frame.
- Fifth-Set Battle: Gannon jumped ahead 5-3 in the final set before Pitt-Johnstown rallied to take an 8-7 lead at the changeover. The Golden Knights battled back to tie the score at 9-9, but the Mountain Cats scored three straight points to move ahead 12-9. Gannon pulled within one at 14-13 following a Webber kill before Pitt-Johnstown secured the 15-13 victory.
- Serving Highlights: Gannon finished with 13 service aces compared to seven for Pitt-Johnstown. Williams led the way with four, while Val Wadas (New Braunfels, TX./New Braunfels) and Gabby Beaubrun (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) added three each. Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) chipped in two aces and Ela Demirel (Marmaris, Turkey/Marmaris Cagdas Bilim High School of Science) recorded one.
- Defensive Effort: Addi Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) led Gannon with 15 digs, followed by Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) with 13 and Williams with 10. The Golden Knights recorded 68 digs and nine team blocks, while Pitt-Johnstown finished with 62 digs and seven blocks.
- Setting the Offense: Wadas handed out a team-high 21 assists, while Ava Gainer (Wheeling, W.Va./The Linsly School) contributed 20. The Golden Knights totaled 50 kills and 49 assists in the five-set contest.
Up Next
Gannon concludes the 2026 regular season on Saturday, November 7, traveling to Indiana (Pa.) for a PSAC Western Division matchup against IUP. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Crimson Hawks enter the contest atop the Western Division standings with a 21-4 overall record and a 12-1 mark in conference play.
This story was written using the support of AI.
