DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) -- The Delaware Valley University volleyball team battled visiting Penn State Berks in a non-conference match on Thursday evening, but were overcome in three sets by scores of 25-16, 25-18, and 30-28.
The Aggies (1-5) fell into a 6-0 hole to start the first set and could not recover as the Nittany Lions (3-3) grew their lead to 17-7 and cruised to the first set win with just four errors.
PSU-Berks led by as many as seven, 12-5, in the second set but DelVal was able to close the gap with a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to three, 14-11. It remained within three points at 20-17 before the Nittany Lions ran off six of the final seven points to pull within one game of the match victory.
The Aggies came out hot in the third set and took an early 8-3 lead as
Jess Ellick and
Krista Hiller combined for three service aces. Penn State fired back with an 8-1 run to take its first lead fo the game, 11-9. Later in the set DelVal scored four straight points behind the serving of
Tara Moffa to regain its lead at 20-18.
The Nittany Lions answered with a 6-4 run to set up match point at 24-22. The Aggies staved off defeat by tying the game at 24-24, and they fought off three more match points before Penn State finally claimed the victory on a kill by Nicole Dwyer. DelVal had a chance to take the set after scoring two straight points to make it, 27-26, but another kill from Dwyer spoiled the effort.
Hiller had eight of the Aggies' 28 kills in the match while Moffa and
Reilly Green each had five and
Alexis Sideris contributed four. Hiller also led the way with 16 digs and three other players reached double-digits in that category while
Caitlin Nemil dished out 22 assists. Nemil and Ellick each had two of the team's seven service aces.
Penn State had 23 kills in the final set alone and finished with 43 as a team. Blair Eckel led the way with 15 and Dwyer followed with 10 while leading all players with five service aces. Eckel and Dwyer were good defensively as well with 10 digs apiece and Eckel's three blocks.
The Aggies will begin Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play next Wednesday when they head to Misericordia University for a 7 p.m. start.
