WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The Clarion volleyball team wrapped up a 3-1 weekend at the Atlantic Region Crossover tournament on Saturday, defeating West Liberty 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 26-24) and Charleston 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-22) to improve to 9-3 overall on the season.  The Golden Eagles will open PSAC play this weekend with Pitt-Johnstown and Shippensburg.
 
Clarion's day started with what was – interestingly enough – the first non-sweep they've been involved in since August 25.  The Golden Eagles dropped the first set to the Hilltoppers but rallied to win three straight, including a tight fourth where West Liberty erased a late deficit.  Marissa Robertson had a match-high 15 kills while Julia Holden added 13 and Lauryn Driscoll 12.  Chrissy Cotton recorded 36 digs in just four sets and Leah Vensel totaled 60 assists.
 
After the first set it was all Golden Eagles for the next two, as the Golden Eagles pulled away in each of the next two to take the lead.  Driscoll broke a 7-7 tie in the second set with a kill and it was off to the races from there, with the Golden Eagles never again allowing the Hilltoppers to even the score.  Holden won the race to 15 with a kill and an error by West Liberty bumped the advantage to 20-12.  Aubrey Wrona forced set point in the second set with a kill, and eventually an error by West Liberty's Caitlin Clarke gave Clarion the set win.  Things were tighter in the third set, but Olivia Olson broke a late tie with a solo block of Abbi Gillson to make it 17-16.  Wrona ripped off three straight kills to make it 21-17, Robertson had two straight aces to force set point, and Driscoll put things away with a kill at 25-17. 
 
The big challenge came in the fourth set when the Hilltoppers erased a late deficit and tied it up at 24 after a kill from Olivia Baumhoer.  Kailee Cunningham committed an error on the next point, and the duo of Driscoll and Wrona combined to block Baumhoer on the next point for the match win.
 
It was Holden who dominated the match against Charleston, recording 21 kills in just three sets while hitting .415.  Vensel tacked on another 45 assists and Cotton another 17 digs as the Golden Eagles swept Charleston. 
 
Clarion trailed 20-17 in the first set but rallied to score eight of the final 11 points of the set, stunning Charleston en route to the set win.  Holden cut it to 22-21 with a kill and followed with the equalizer one point later, making it 22-all.  Olson briefly put Clarion ahead 23-22 with a solo block, and then teamed with Holden to stuff Rachel Phalen and give the Golden Eagles a 24-23 lead.  A Charleston error on the next attack gave Clarion the close win, and the Golden Eagles built on that with a dominant second set.  They pulled away in earnest midway through the set after a block by Olson and Vensel, and the duo of Driscoll and Holden blocked Tori Clark to make it 20-16.  Holden had the final two kills of the set to take the win 25-16.
 
Charleston kept close for much of the third set and actually led 18-17 after an error by Wrona, but Clarion would not be denied.  Holden put her team ahead 20-19 with a kill and broke a 21-all tie with another, and ultimately delivered the final four kills of the set for the match win.