MONACA, PA (Sept. 1, 2019) — The Penn State Mont Alto volleyball team participated in the USCAA Tip-Off Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Nittany Lions took a hard-fought loss to Carlow University before winning a pair of 3-1 games to PSUAC foe Penn State Greater Allegheny and Kent State-Tuscarawas.
Carlow University 3, Penn State Mont Alto 1
- Mont Alto got off to a hot start and won the first game by a 27-25 score after an ace from Kylee Gooding (Warriors Mark, Pa. / Tyrone Area)followed by a kill from Hunter Timmons (Orrstown, Pa. / Cumberland Valley Christian).
- Each team kept the scores close throughout the majority of the first two sets. The teams traded the lead five times during the second set with Carlow earning the narrow 25-23 decision.
- Carlow jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the third set and the Nittany Lions were unable to go on a run as they fell 25-15. It was much of the same in what turned out to be the final set with Carlow coming out on top by a 25-12 score.
- Gooding finished with a team-high 10 kills with Breanne Byers (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) as the next best hitter with five.
- Melanie Tracy (York, Pa. / Dallastown Area) recorded 17 digs in the loss.
Penn State Mont Alto 3, Penn State Greater Allegheny 1
- PSUMA got off to another good start taking the first set 25-17, but once again dropped the second game this time by a 27-25 score. Mont Alto tied things up at 24-24 and couldn’t put their opponent away.
- Mont Alto secured narrow wins in the following two sets by the scores of 25-23.
- The third set saw the Nittany Lions record 13 kills with freshman Kylee Gooding (Warriors Mark, Pa. / Tyrone Area) notching a collegiate-high 20.
Penn State Mont Alto 3, Kent State-Tuscarawas 1
- It was another four-set game with Mont Alto taking the third set (29-27). The team needed the two-point overtime to seal the deal, however. That proved to be the backbreaker as the Golden Eagles succumbed to PSUMA 25-20.
- The Nittany Lions improved to 2-1 on the 2019 season.
- It was another balanced scoring effort with Gooding finishing with 14 kills, while Kimmy Harker (Huntingdon, Pa. / Juniata Valley) chipping in eight.
- Rachel Manikowski (Mercersburg, Pa. / James Buchanan) and senior Katie Muse (Hagerstown, Md. / Boonsboro) both recorded three aces.
Mont Alto will remain on the road with a matchup against Penn State York slated for Thursday, September 5 at 7 p.m.
FRANK MAIRA is Assistant Director of Athletics/SIDPenn at State Mont Alto
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