CLARION, Pa. – The back-and-forth through the first four sets gave way to a solid fifth set win, as the Golden Eagle volleyball team topped Seton Hill by a 3-2 (16-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-27, 15-8) score at Tippin Gym. Clarion (11-6, 3-2 PSAC West) bounced back from a close fourth-set loss to control action in the fifth to put them ahead of the Griffins.
 
Julia Piccolino and Cassidy Snider tied for the match-high with 16 kills apiece, and both topped double-digits in digs to record Kill-Dig double-doubles. Aubrey Wrona also posted a double-double – her first of the season – with 11 kills and 12 digs. Wrona hit .333, committing just two errors on 27 attempts.
 
One of the key areas where Clarion held an advantage was in the service game. Despite committing 11 service errors, the Golden Eagles balanced things out with eight service aces and generally serving tough against the Griffins. Conversely, Seton Hill recorded just three aces and seven errors. Snider, Wrona and Cambron Hampton each posted two aces.
 
Defensively, Abigail Selfridge finished with a team-high 19 digs. London Fuller recorded 53 assists, set the Golden Eagles to a .203 attack percentage and added 12 digs of her own.
 
Clarion scored the first four points of the fifth set, including an ace by Fuller, before the Griffins rallied and pulled to within 7-6. Piccolino flipped the court with a kill, and the duo of Fuller and London Aichinger blocked Paige Cole to put Clarion ahead 9-6. A 5-0 run put significant distance between the teams, and Fuller solo-blocked Cole on match point for the win.
 
Seton Hill controlled the first set, concluding the game with a 6-1 run to take it by a 25-16 score. The Golden Eagles were undeterred and jumped to an early lead in the second set, going ahead 11-6 after a kill by Snider. Wrona rocked a back row attack for a kill to make the set 16-12, and the Golden Eagles pushed the advantage thanks to a 4-0 run late in the set. Wrona aced Mariela Alvarado to make it 20-15, and Snider eventually delivered the set point kill at 25-20.
 
Conversely, the third set went entirely the way of the Golden Eagles. Clarion led 10-4 after an error by the Griffins' Skyler Burkett, and that advantage jumped to 15-8 after back-to-back kills by Snider. Seton Hill pulled back to within 17-14, but the Golden Eagles embarked on an 8-0 run to turn the close set into a rout. Snider added two aces and Wrona three kills in that rally to make it 25-14. Clarion had the opportunity to close out the mat in the fourth set when they took a 24-22 advantage. Elizabeth Ward fended off the first chance of elimination with a kill, and the duo of Ward and Katie Koziarz blocked Snider to tie the score at 24. Koziarz eventually posted the set winner, acing Wrona to make it 27-25 and tie the match at 2-2.