EDINBORO, Pa. — Clarion (12-15, 6-7 PSAC) fell to Edinboro (10-14, 5-8 PSAC) in straight sets on Friday at McComb Fieldhouse, with the Fighting Scots winning 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-20).
The Golden Eagles opened the first set with a competitive edge, keeping pace with the Fighting Scots through a series of kills by
Raegan Stader and
Addy Turek, supported by assists from
Marisa Markou and
Natalie Karrick. Despite an early deficit, Clarion managed to level the score at 5-5 after a kill from
Karlee Berchtold and briefly took the lead at 7-6 following an attack error by the opponent.
The set saw several momentum shifts, with Clarion maintaining close contention thanks to defensive plays, including a block by Karrick and
Finley Kearney. Stader continued to contribute offensively, adding crucial kills to keep the scoreline tight. However, the Fighting Scots pulled ahead late in the set, capitalizing on attack errors by Clarion to secure a 25-20 advantage at the close.
The Fighting Scots opened the second set with a decisive run, capitalizing on Clarion's mistakes to build an early 4-0 lead. The Golden Eagles responded with a series of successful plays, including kills by Kearney and
Claire Bickett, narrowing the margin to 4-3. However, the Fighting Scots extended their advantage to 12-4, fueled by a strong offensive performance and multiple Clarion errors.
Clarion attempted to regain momentum with contributions from
Karlee Berchtold and
Raegan Stader, reducing the deficit to 19-14. Despite Clarion's efforts, the Fighting Scots maintained control, reaching a 25-16 set win with a service ace by Klaresajane Sivas sealing the outcome.
The third set opened with a surge from the Fighting Scots, as they quickly built a 3-0 lead. The Golden Eagles responded with a kill from
Lauren Fjerstad to get on the scoreboard. However, the Fighting Scots maintained the momentum, extending their lead to 5-1, despite Clarion's efforts to close the gap with kills from Berchtold and Stader.
Clarion continued to fight, with
Emily Klopp and Turek contributing key points. A service ace by
Macee Anway highlighted a brief rally by Clarion, cutting the deficit to 18-10. Despite some late pressure from Clarion, including a strong block from Turek and Berchtold, the Fighting Scots managed to close out the set 25-20, securing the match.
Berchtold recorded seven kills and two block assists, hitting .429 over three sets. Stader contributed nine kills while adding four digs to her performance.
Marisa Markou facilitated the offense with 14 assists, also chipping in four digs.
Haley Fledderjohann led the defensive effort with 12 digs and added three assists.
