CLARION, Pa. – The Golden Eagle volleyball team's first matches in 473 days came against one of the toughest teams in the nation, with Clarion dropping a pair of 3-0 decisions to 14^th-ranked Gannon at Tippin Gym on Saturday afternoon. Both matches featured tight sets throughout, but in each instance the Golden Knights held off furious Clarion pushes to take victory.
 
Match 1: Gannon 3, Clarion 0 (25-19, 30-28, 25-19)
 
Playing with a retooled lineup that featured a number of new faces and old faces in new roles, the Golden Eagles pushed the Golden Knights over the course of all three sets, including a marathon offering in the second where Clarion had a number of chances to finish Gannon. After the Golden Knights finished the first set on a 6-2 run to take a 25-19 decision, it was the Golden Eagles that brought firepower to start the second. Clarion opened the set on a 10-4 run that included multiple kills from both Julia Piccolino and Aleah Karam, as well as a pair of blocks. Lauren Aichinger recorded her set block of the set to make it an 11-6 advantage before Gannon scored five straight to take the lead.
 
Not to be deterred, Clarion rattled off four straight points of their own and six of the next seven, including a block from Karam and Alyson Peters to make it 16-13. Abigail Selfridge made her first career start at libero and added an ace to make it 19-16, and Piccolino notched a kill to put her team ahead 21-16. She added another to force set point at 24-22 but the Golden Knights rallied back and the teams traded points. Peters bounced a kill from the middle spot to tie it at 28, but the Golden Knights finally pulled off two straight points for the set win. Gannon built a huge lead in the third set, at one point leading by a 20-8 score, but the Golden Eagles refused to quit in pulling tighter. At one point Clarion scored six straight to pull within 20-14, punctuated by a tip from setter Alexa Cundy, and the duo of Peters and Karam made it 22-18 with a block before the Golden Knights pulled away.
 
Piccolino let all attackers in both kills (11) and attempts (45), adding 11 digs for a double-double. Karam and Aichinger each posted three blocks, while Selfridge and Cundy both finished in double-figures in digs.
 
Match 2: Gannon 3, Clarion 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22)
 
The same back-and-forth that went into most of the first match quickly exhibited itself in the second, as Gannon led early but could not pull away entirely until late. The Golden Knights opened up a 10-5 advantage in the first set until Clarion countered with an 8-0 run of their own, with Piccolino recording two aces and a kill through the run. The block was also stout through that stretch, with Aichinger stuffing a pair of attempts at the net. Gannon then went on a run of their own, outscoring Clarion 9-1 to take a 20-15 lead, but the Golden Eagles cut it to just 23-21 on a kill by Aichinger before Gannon salted it away.
 
It took another extended Gannon run to build separation in the second set, with the Golden Knights outscoring Clarion 8-2 at one point to take a 14-11 lead. That advantage nearly evaporated completely after back-to-back kills by Brooke Williams cut the deficit to 21-20, but Gannon again clinched it down the stretch. The Golden Eagles had a chance to take the third set, building an 18-15 lead after a pair of attack errors by Gannon, and Sadie Leisinger made it 19-16 with a kill. The teams were soon knotted up at 22 after service errors by both sides, but Gannon finished with three straight points to take the set and the match.
 
Williams had one of her best days offensively, finishing with a team-high 13 kills while also adding two digs. Selfridge had a team-high 17 digs, one shy of the match-high, while Piccolino added 15 digs and seven kills. Leisinger notched six kills and a .286 attack percentage in her first collegiate action.