WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Penn College faced two tough opponents on Saturday, falling in a United East Conference match to Gallaudet 3-0 (20-25, 14-25, 20-25) and a nonconference contest against Lebanon Valley 3-0 (21-25, 14-25, 8-25). The Wildcats finished with 28 kills and a .246 hitting percentage against the Bison, while being held to 17 kills and a .022 hitting percentage against the Dutchmen. Gallaudet totaled 39 kills with a .400 hitting percentage, and Lebanon Valley recorded 33 kills at a .234 percentage.
Against Gallaudet:
The Wildcats' biggest response in the first set came after an 11-5 deficit, as
Lilly Stockum had three kills and a service ace, and
Peyton Maass added two kills during a push that got PCT within 14-13. Gallaudet kept the Wildcats from pulling even and closed the set 25-20. In the second set,
Janae Carden's kill pulled PCT into a 10-10 tie, but Gallaudet followed with nine straight points to build a 19-10 lead. Stockum supplied four kills for the Wildcats, including three after that stretch, before Gallaudet finished the set 25-14. In the third set, PCT reached a 20-20 tie, but Gallaudet scored the final five points to take the set, 25-20. Earlier, the Wildcats moved from a 3-2 deficit to a 7-4 lead behind consecutive service aces from
Callie Riddle and kills by
Kendall Shade and Maass.
Stockum led the Wildcats with 14 kills and 15 points while hitting .333, exceeding her season average of 4.71. Maass added 10 kills on a .350 hitting percentage. Riddle collected a team-high 13 digs and served two aces.
Taryn Smith finished with 14 assists and added a service ace.
Brielle Worley led Gallaudet with 16 kills and 17 points, adding seven digs and a service ace. Gracie Gloster recorded 32 assists and six aces while adding three digs. Jada Zarembka added 10 kills, seven digs, and a block assist.
Against Lebanon Valley:
The Wildcats' main push in the first set came after Lebanon Valley went ahead 18-13, as kills by
Sara Seyfert and
Kendall Shade helped Penn College get back within 20-18. Earlier,
Lilly Stockum served consecutive aces during a 4-0 response that pulled the Wildcats even at 4-4 after the visitors' opening surge. Lebanon Valley finished off the set 25-21. Penn College could not recover from Lebanon Valley's 5-0 start in the second set, and Lebanon Valley went on to take the set 25-14. The Wildcats' clearest response came with a four-point stretch that moved the score from 17-8 to 17-12, including kills by Stockum and
Peyton Maass. The Wildcats fell behind as Lebanon Valley scored the first five points and later moved ahead 14-1 in the third set. Shade's kill from Seyfert and
Callie Riddle's service ace helped Penn College string together three straight points to make it 14-4. Lebanon Valley closed out the set 25-8.
Maass led the Wildcats with nine kills and added three digs and a block assist. Riddle collected 20 digs and added a service ace. Stockum recorded three kills, two service aces, a solo block, and four digs.
Taryn Smith finished with a team-high eight assists.
Hadley Sparks led Lebanon Valley with 12 kills and 11 digs while hitting .385. Teaguen Reynolds Mack recorded 7 service aces, 6 kills, and 7 digs. Sofia Rios finished with 25 assists and 4 aces. Jillian Jefferys added 6 kills on a .500 hitting percentage with 4 total blocks.
Up next: Penn College opens a three-match road test at Penn State Schuylkill on Thursday, Oct, 8 at 6 p.m.
