Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Penn College hosted the Alfred State College Pioneers and the Cairn University Highlanders in a Tri-Meet Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats dropped the first game to the Pioneers, 3-0, and then picked up their first win of the season beating the Highlanders, 3-2.  Penn College improved to 1-7 on the season, while Alfred State jumped to 4-5 and Cairn fell to 2-6.     
 
Game #1: Penn College started strong against Alfred State before eventually losing the first set, 25-20.  The Pioneers controlled the second set, winning 25-5, and then the Wildcats responded by rallying in the third set, before Alfred State won the set, 27-25, and took the match.
 
Inside the Box: The statistical leaders for Penn College, include:
Kills: Oswald (6), Mingus (5), Slough (3)
Aces: Homan (2), Burnett (2)
Blocks: Homan (1)
Assists: Mahler (18), Burnett (2), Homan (1)
Digs: Burnett (17), Oswald (7), Marnati (7)
 
Outside the Box: The Penn College women's volleyball team started the game energized and focused.  Kills by Hannah Burnett and Coryn Oswald and a service ace by Burnett helped the Wildcats go up 14-12 halfway through the first set.  With the score tied 19-19, the Pioneers gained control by going on a 6-1 run to win the set, 25-20. 
 
Alfred State took control of the second set early with a 13-0 start and finished the set 25-5.  The Wildcats responded in the third set with going up 10-5 on a kill by Abbigale Mingus.  In a back and forth battle, Penn College went up 20-16 on a kill by Peyton Homan.  With the set on the line and the Wildcats up 24-21, the Pioneers went on a 6-1 run to win the set, 27-25.  After the game, Head Coach Bambi Hawkins commented, "I'm very proud of my ladies.  Despite many players with injuries or sickness, they fought through it against a good opponent.  Once we get healthy and learn how to finish these sets, we will be in a good spot."
 
Game #2: Penn College picked up a thrilling victory over Cairn University in 5 sets: 14-25, 25-21, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10. 
 
Inside the Box: The statistical leaders for Penn College, include:
Kills: Oswald (14), Marnati (10), Homan (8)
Aces: Burnett (8), Mingus (5), Oswald (2)
Blocks: Homan (1), Marnati (1)
Assists: Mahler (38), Homan (2), Burnett (2)
Digs: Burnett (23), Oswald (15), Mingus (10)
 
Outside the Box: The Wildcats aimed to build on good play from the first game facing Cairn in the last match of the day.  Penn College struggled early on down 8-7, when Cairn used a 9-3 run to break open the first set.  Cairn would take the first set 25-14.  The Wildcats would respond in the second set.  Up one, 8-7, Penn College got a spark from a kill by Abbigale Mingus to go on its own 4-1 run to go up 12-8.  After multiple errors by Cairn and a kill by Emalie Marnati, the Wildcats took control of the second set and won 25-21.  With momentum favoring the Wildcats, Penn College opened the third set in control going up 14-8, before cruising to a 25-14 third set victory. 
 
Cairn answered by taking the fourth set 25-22 to force a deciding fifth set.  In front of an electric fan-base in Bardo Gym, the Wildcats took control on a Peyton Homan kill to go up 6-4.  As both teams battled, Marnati came up with back-to-back kills to go up 11-8.  As the intensity increased, when the Wildcats reached match point, 14-8, the Highlanders responded with two quick points to make it 14-10.  Now with the match on the line, Savanna Slough ended all hope for the Highlanders with a kill to give the Wildcats their first victory on the season.
 
Coach Hawkins commented, "Our ladies stepped up in a lot of ways today.  It was great to see them persevere and show signs of confidence and leadership."  The Wildcats looked poise down the stretch even when Cairn continued to fight back.  "It's been a difficult start for us with injuries and sickness, but I'm glad to see our players continue to improve and grow together as a team," says Hawkins. 
 
Up Next: Penn College returns to action when they travel to face Alfred State again on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:00 PM.