Lions Drop Home Opener to Dickinson
by Casey Burinskas
ALTOONA, Pa. – On Friday night, the Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team was looking for its first win of the season in its home opener against Dickinson College, after a tough set of losses the weekend prior. Despite the Lions' best efforts, the Red Devils took over and dealt them a 3-0 defeat.
Dickinson (3-3) posted the sweep of Penn State Altoona (0-4) by set scores of 25-21, 25-10, and 25-22.
The Lions came out strong, using early kills from Kyla Campbell (Altoona, PA/Great Commission) and Lia Simanski (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) to build a 5-2 lead. Freshman Jayden Ulmer (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) also chipped in at the net to keep the score tight. Midway through the set, Dickinson capitalized on Altoona mistakes, including attack and service errors, to push in front 17-13. Still, the Lions fought back, as Maggie Brewer (NuMine, PA/West Shamokin) and Simanski delivered timely kills to trim the deficit to 22-18. Late contributions from Hadley and Simanski brought Altoona within three points, but the Red Devils closed the frame on a Lions service error to secure the 25-21 win.
In the second set, the Lions kept things close at the start, with Simanski and Brewer contributing to tie the score at 5-5. However, the Devils quickly shifted into the lead, taking advantage of multiple Altoona attack errors while putting together kills from their own side. Despite kill by Hadley and a late service ace from Campbell, the Lions were unable to close the gap. Dickinson finished the set on a strong run, forcing additional Altoona errors and clinching the win at 25-10 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Lions came out in the third with determination to fight their way back. Grabbing an early lead thanks to a kill from Ulmer and a service ace by Emel, the Lions started with a quick lead of 2-0. Brewer and Hadley put up kills as Altoona stayed in front, 11-9, midway through. The Red Devils responded with a steady run, using kills and forcing multiple errors from Altoona to swing the score in their favor at 15-14. The Lions refused to back down, as Jadeyn Price (Altoona, PA/Altoona) and Simanski put up points that kept the set tied at 17. Despite Altoona's best efforts at a comeback, errors by the Lions allowed Dickinson to close out the third set with a score of 25-22 and secure the match victory 3-0.
Simanski led Penn State Altoona in points with 12 on 12 kills, and she added eight digs. Brewer had 6.5 points on six kills and a block assist, and Hadley contributed six points on six kills with seven digs.
Emel put up a match-high 16 assists to go along with 10 digs, and Marlo Mellish (Kittanning, PA/Armstrong) chipped in 10 assists.
Brianna Woodring (Greencastle, PA/Greencastle-Antrim) led all players in the match with 14 digs.
Next, the Lions will take on Penn College tomorrow, Saturday, September 6, at 11 a.m. in the Adler Arena as part of a tri-match. Later in the afternoon, Altoona will face Washington & Jefferson College at 3 p.m.
