CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion volleyball team fell to one of the top teams in the PSAC on Friday but still secured its spot in the 2017 PSAC Tournament, dropping a 3-1 (21-25, 16-25, 25-21, 23-25) decision to Seton Hill at Tippin Gymnasium.  The Golden Eagles (19-11, 10-7 PSAC) will close out its regular season tomorrow afternoon when they host California (Pa.).
 
However, all was not lost on Friday night.  With losses by California and Millersville elsewhere in the PSAC, the Golden Eagles are guaranteed a spot in next week's PSAC Tournament.  They entered the weekend as the seventh seed in the playoff field.
 
Clarion very nearly rallied to force a decisive fifth set, taking the third set and pushing the Griffins to the limit in the fourth.  The Golden Eagles hit .533 in the third set and .382 in the fourth but could not quite get over the hump against Seton Hill, who rallied from a 23-22 deficit in the last game to take the 25-23 decision.
 
Taylor Braunagel added a match-high 21 kills to her career-best season total, giving her 420 tallies so far this year.  She was joined in double-digits by Olivia Olson and Julia Holden, who each finished with 14 kills and hit better than .300.  Catherine Ferragonio had a match-high 25 digs on defense.
 
The first set started out close, but the Griffins pulled away late to take the lead in the team match.  Braunagel put Clarion ahead 17-15 with a kill and freshman Aubry Ohlson pushed that advantage to 19-17 with a kill of her own.  Seton Hill responded with a 6-1 run, taking a 23-20 lead on a block by Leah Bisignani and Maggie Murray.  Braunagel cut the lead to 23-21 with a kill, but the Griffins scored twice in a row to make it 25-21.
 
After Seton Hill dominated play in the second set to take a 2-0 match lead, Clarion caught fire to start the third set.  Holden notched back-to-back aces to give Clarion a 6-1 lead to start the game, but Seton Hill pulled to within 14-13 after a kill by Jillian Livorse.  The Golden Eagles settled back down and built on their lead, going up 20-16 after a kill by Olson.  Leah Vensel solo blocked Livorse to force set point, and Braunagel launched the final kill of the set to make it 25-21.
 
Seton Hill opened the fourth set on a 5-2 run but Clarion tied it at 7 on a block by Kaitlyn Glaser and Aubry Ohlson, and eventually took a 12-9 lead after a kill from Olson. The teams traded the advantage back and forth, with Clarion taking a 23-22 lead on a Braunagel kill.  The Griffins ran off the final three points of the set, though, winning on an ace by Mary Baich.