MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny volleyball team battled Westminster at home Wednesday (Oct. 14), picking up a five set Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory.
They won the sets 25-16, 26-24, 19-25, 23-25, 21-19.
The Gators opened the match on a 6-1 run. The advantage continued to climb throughout the set, reaching as much as nine before the Titans called a timeout trailing 17-8. After the timeout, the Titans pulled within five points, 18-13, before the Gators captured the set 25-16.
Once again, Allegheny had an early advantage to start the second set. Westminster chipped away at the deficit, tying it at 14. After exchanging points back-and-forth, the Titans went on a 3-0 run to take an 18-16 lead. After the Gators called a timeout, they pulled within a point, 22-21, forcing a Westminster timeout. The Gators tied it up following the break as the back-and-forth continued. Knotted a 23, a block by
Skyler Fatola (Queen Creek, Ariz./Eastmark) and
Marissa Rish (Burton, Ohio/Berkshire) gave the Gators a set point. After a second Titan timeout, they staved off the set point. Rish earned Allegheny another set point with a kill. On their second attempt, an attack error by Westminster gave the Gators the set, 26-24.
The Titans gained the early advantage in set three, 6-2. The Gators would battle back, pulling within a point at 12-11. The Titans answered with a 3-0 run as they started to pull away. Late in the set, Allegheny rattled off a 4-0 run to bring the Titan lead down to 23-19. However, the Titans won the next two points to take it 25-19.
Westminster's momentum carried over to the second set as they led early. The Gators rallied with a 4-0 run to make it a one point game, 12-11. After ending the Gators' run, the Titans went on their own 4-0 run as Allegheny called timeout down 17-12. Coming out of the timeout, the Gators tallied three straight kills as Westminster used one of their timeouts. Allegheny brought the score within one late in the set, 23-22, after a
Carlee Pepperman (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) ace. Fatola and
Jillian Smetana (Chardon, Ohio/Berkshire) then combined for a block to tie the set up. After calling a timeout, the Titans won the ensuing two points to force a fifth and deciding set.
The teams went back-and-forth early in the fifth set, finding themselves tied at seven. A kill by
Reilly Mendez (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos) followed by a block gave the Gators a two point edge. The Titans rallied after a timeout to tie it back up at nine. After going back-and-forth some more, Westminster earned a match point at 14-12. The Gators stopped six match points before they got their own after a kill by Rish, but a service error tied it back up. Fatola gave the Gators another chance with a kill. This time, an errant attack by the Titans ended the match as the Gators collected a 21-19 set five win.
Inside the Box
- Mendez led the team with a career-high 21 kills, hitting at a percentage of .514.
- Fatola ended the match with 15 kills on a .500 hitting percentage. She also assisted on eight blocks with a solo one as well.
- Smetana also achieved a career-high with 13 kills.
- Rish recorded her sixth triple-double of the season, finishing with 27 assists. 15 digs and 12 kills. She also assisted on four blocks.
- Pepperman tallied 15 digs, nine kills and three aces.
- Joanna Miller (Pittsburgh, Pa./Gateway) had a career-high 32 assists to go alongside 15 digs.
- Duru Akbas (Ankara, Turkey/Layton Christian Academy (Utah)) led the backline with 18 digs.
News and Notes
- Allegheny is now 22-16 all-time against Westminster.
- Mendez's 21 kills marked a career-high. She also tied for fifth in program history for hitting percentage in a five-set match.
- Rish's six triple-doubles is currently tied for the second most in Division III this year.
Up Next
The Gators travel to Saint Francis Saturday (Oct. 17).
