Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LATROBE, Pa. – The Allegheny volleyball team stormed back from an early one-set deficit, taking a 3-1 decision against Franciscan to open the second day of the 2013 Saint Vincent College Bearcat Challenge in the Carey Center.

The Gators would end their tournament schedule with a 3-1 loss to the host Bearcats.

Sophomore Taylor Samuel led the way offensively, posting 20 kills over the two games, averaging 2.50 per set.  Fellow second year Sarah Swartz hit a team-high .344 clip, finishing the afternoon with 14 kills.  Sophomore Jessica Napierata recorded 57 assists while freshman Bailey Gawley finished with eight total blocks, including five solo stoppers on Saturday.

Against Franciscan, the Gators rebounded from a 25-18 first set loss with a 25-20, second set victory.  The Gators then came back from a three-point deficit to take a hard-fought, 25-23 third set, putting the finishing touches on their second victory in Latrobe with a 25-21 win in the fourth.

Sophomore Julia Weeks led the attack for the Gators, finishing with 13 kills against the Barons.  Fellow second years Baylie Sheppard and Sarah Swartz posted nine kills, with Swartz swinging at a .389 clip during the match.  Sheppard also added 12 digs as one of two Gators with double-digit digs, joining junior Catherine Kasianowicz, who recorded a game-high 31.  Freshman Bailey Gawley picked up three solo blocks as sophomore Jessica Napierata assisted on 37 points.

Franciscan jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set, withstanding an Allegheny rally that cut the lead to five en route to the first set victory.  In set two, Samuel led a 4-0, set-opening run to give the Gators an early lead.  The Barons battled back to pull within one, but the Gators went on a five-point run to increase their cushion to six points.  The two teams battled back and forth, exchanging multi-point rallies, but the Gators were able to put the finishing touches on the second set victory with a kill by Sheppard.

Down 7-3 early in the third set.  Allegheny slowly clawed their way back into the set, keeping the Barons within four , before a five-point run sparked by solid serving by Napierata gave the squad a 22-20 lead. Weeks would give the Gators a 2-1 set advantage with a cross-court kill, sending Allegheny to a 25-23 victory.

With the score tied 17-17 in the fourth set, a kill by Swartz gave Allegheny the opening needed to clinch the match.  Swartz followed her serve-breaking kill with an ace to give the gators a two-point lead, as two kills by Samuel after the Barons broke serve placed Allegheny within three points of the win.  Weeks once again sealed the deal, this time clinching the match with a game-winning kill.

Weeks led the way against Franciscan with 13 kills.  Napierata posted 37 assists, also recording five kills, while Kasianowicz recorded a team-high 31 digs.

After falling, 25-19, in the first set against Saint Vincent, the Gators came back from a five-point deficit in the second, chipping away at the Bearcat lead before a service ace from Kasianowicz gave the Gators their first lead of the set at 23-22.  A kill by Sheppard two points later sealed the 25-23 second-set win for Allegheny. 

The Bearcats controled the pace during the final two sets, 25-14 and 25-12, hitting above a .300 team clip in both sets. In the third, A kill by Samuel brought the Gators to within three, but Saint Vincent was able to limit the damage on Allegheny serves while using a late five-point run to put the set away.  In the fourth, the Bearcats erupted for a 12-4 opening run, holding the Allegheny offense at bay to clinch the win.

The Gators will next travel to Selinsgrove, Pa. to participate in the Susquehanna University Tournament on Sept. 6 and 7.  Allegheny will face Lycoming and Dickinson on the first day of the tournament before second day matchups against Misericordia and Susquehanna.