MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny volleyball team opened the home portion of their 2026 schedule with a pair of matches at their annual Allegheny Invitational Friday (Sept. 18), sweeping Fredonia and Adrian.
The Gators defeated Fredonia in four sets before completing a reverse sweep against Adrian.
Allegheny 3, Fredonia 1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23)
The teams were even early on before the Gators strung together a 4-0 run to move ahead, 11-7. The Blue Devils fought back to take a 14-12 lead. Allegheny tied it back up at 15 as the teams continued to trade points. A 3-0 Fredonia run prompted an Allegheny timeout as they trailed 20-18. Following the timeout, the Gators tied it back up at 22. However, Fredonia won three of the final four points to take the opening set.
The Gators jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set. They continued to create distance with a 7-2 run, pushing their advantage to 13-4. Allegheny was able to maintain that lead the rest of the way as they tied the match with a 25-17.
After back-and-forth play to open the third, the Gators went on a 10-1 run to take a 16-8 lead. The Blue Devils slowly chipped away at the lead, coming in within two points at 22-20. The Gators finished tough, winning three of the final four points to jump ahead in the match, 2-1.
Allegheny built a small lead early in the fourth set, but Fredonia rallied to tie it at 13. The Gators responded with a 5-1 run as Fredonia called a timeout. Once again, Fredonia rallied to tie it at 20 late in the set. After exchanging points and knotted at 23 apiece,
Marissa Rish's (Burton, Ohio/Berkshire) kill gave the Gators a match point.
Jillian Smetana (Chardon, Ohio/Berkshire) recorded the final point of the match as the Gators rebounded from the set one loss to take it in four.
Inside the Box
- Rish recorded her second triple-double of the year, tallying 24 assists, 18 digs and 16 kills.
- Smetana was in double-digits with 11 kills.
- Carly Beers (Warren, Pa./Warren) had nine kills while Kendall Brunn (Campbell, Ohio/Northeast Ohio Impact Academy) had seven.
- Skyler Fatola (Queen Creek, Ariz./Eastmark) had six kills to go with four blocks.
- Joanna Miller (Pittsburgh, Pa./Gateway) matched RIsh with 24 assists to go alongside 13 digs.
- Duru Akbas (Ankara, Turkey/Layton Christian Academy (Utah)) had a career-high 35 digs.
- Carlee Pepperman (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) registered 16 digs to go with six kills.
- Bella Johnson (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) added 11 digs.
Allegheny 3, Adrian 2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 15-12)
The teams were evenly matched throughout most of the opening set. Adrian took a 20-18 late lead as the Gators called a timeout. Allegheny pulled within one point at 22-21, but the Bulldogs won ensuing three points to win the first set.
Once more, the teams were even in the second set until the Gators rattled off a 4-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. The Bulldogs battled back, eventually taking a 19-18 lead. The two sides continued trade points as Adrian gained a 24-23 set point. Allegheny called a timeout, but the Bulldogs won the next point to jump ahead by two sets.
The Gators bounced back in the third set, starting off on a 10-2 run. The Allegheny advantage grew to as much as 11 points en route to a 25-16 set win.
The momentum from the set three win carried over to the fourth as the Gators started on a 7-4 run. The lead continued to build up as it reached 15-9 before the Bulldogs used a timeout. Adrian wore away at the lead as they pulled within one, 20-19. The Gators held strong though, finishing on a 5-0 run to force a deciding fifth set.
Adrian started the fifth set on a 5-1 run. The Gators rallied after a timeout, tying the set at five before the Bulldogs called their own timeout. After that timeout, the teams matched points until they were tied at ten. Allegheny would go on a 4-1 run, with three kills, to earn a match point. Adrian stopped the first one, but a kill by
Reilly Mendez (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos) ended the match and completed the reverse sweep.
Inside the Box
- For the second time on the day, Rish finished with a triple double, netting 17 assists, 17 kills and 12 digs.
- Mendez was second on the team with nine kills.
- Fatola had eight kills and four blocks.
- Beers added seven kills.
- Pepperman 16 digs to go with seven kills and three aces.
- Akbas had her second 30 plus dig performance of the night, ending with 33. She also registered three aces.
- Miller led the team with 26 assists.
News and Notes
- Allegheny is now 20-2 all-time against Fredonia and 2-1 against Adrian.
- Rish is one of only eight players in Division III with multiple triple-doubles this season. She is currently tied for second with three this season.
Up Next
The Gators conclude their home invitational Saturday (Sept. 19) against Houghton.
