CLARION, Pa. --- Returning to Tippin Gymnasium for their first conference match of the season, the Golden Eagle volleyball team recorded a three-set sweep to open PSAC West action, beating Slippery Rock 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-23).
 
The Golden Eagles were buoyed by a dominant offensive performance by Cassidy Snider, with the junior outside hitter totaling 22 kills in just three sets of play. Snider was as efficient as she was persistent, hitting .474 with just four errors on 38 attempts. Julia Piccolino balanced out the offense with 13 kills while also adding 12 digs. Both Snider and Piccolino posted double-doubles.
 
Setter London Fuller rattled off 47 assists in three sets, an average of nearly 16 assists per set.
 
It was a strong defensive night as well, with senior libero Abigail Selfridge making a number of key digs to keep rallies alive. Selfridge contributed a match-high 19 digs.
 
Despite the sweep, the Golden Eagles did not dominate the match. Clarion was forced to dig deep at times to overcome The Rock, including rallying from a late deficit in the second set to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Erica Selfridge gave Slippery Rock a 19-16 lead with a kill, capping a 5-2 run and putting her team in control. Snider started the process of coming back with a kill, and Sophia Lucas notched kills on back-to-back points to give Clarion a 20-19 advantage. Snider bounced a kill and Fuller launched an ace to make it 23-20, and Olivia Ishmael closed the set with kills on consecutive points.
 
Clarion leaped out to a 4-1 lead in the third set, and Snider went to work later with kills on six out of seven points to make it a 13-9 advantage. The Golden Eagles made it 21-17 after a kill by Snider but The Rock responded with three straight points to slice the deficit to 21-20. Finley Kearney and Piccolino combined to block Alayna Chizmar to force match point at 24-22, and Piccolino finished it off with a kill on match point.
 
The first set played out closely, with action knotted up at 15 at one point. Snider helped Clarion win the race to 20 with a kill, and Piccolino finished off the set with a kill at 25-22.
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