WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Clarion faced a challenging day at the Atlantic Region Crossover tournament, splitting their two five-set matches against West Virginia State and West Liberty. The Golden Eagles fell by a 3-2 score to West Virginia State in the early match before topping West Liberty by the same score in the nightcap.
West Virginia State 3, Clarion 2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-19, 15-25, 9-15)
RECAP: The Golden Eagles, now accustomed to tightly contested matches, found themselves in their fifth five-setter of the season. Despite leading 2-1, Clarion fell victim to WVSU's resurgence, particularly in the fourth set, where the Yellow Jackets hit .348 to force a decisive fifth set.
The match began with Clarion seizing an early 3-0 lead, thanks to a service error and a kill from
Natalie Karrick. WVSU quickly leveled the score, leading to a back-and-forth battle where
Raegan Stader notched several kills, including a pivotal strike to make it 22-19. However, Alyssa Hill's three consecutive kills sealed the first set for WVSU.
Clarion bounced back in the second set, responding to an early service error from WVSU and receiving key points from
Taylor Haupt and service aces from
Kylie Barto and Karrick. A block from Stader and
Julia Rodriguez pulled Clarion within one point at 17-16, and Karrick's ace tied the score at 23. The Golden Eagles clinched the set 26-24 with a decisive kill from
Emily Klopp.
The third set saw Clarion build a strong lead, capitalizing on a run that featured a kill by Haupt and a block by Klopp and Rodriguez, ultimately winning 25-19. However, the momentum shifted in the fourth set as WVSU took an early 3-0 lead, capitalizing on Clarion's attack errors to win 25-15.
In the fifth set, WVSU gained momentum, forcing Clarion to fight back from a 7-4 deficit. Despite contributions from Haupt and Rodriguez, the Golden Eagles could not overcome their opponents' momentum, losing the final set 15-9.
Haley Fledderjohann led the defense with 27 digs, while Stader and Haupt recorded 16 and 15 kills, respectively, with Haupt also achieving a double-double with 14 digs.
Clarion 3, West Liberty 2 (25-19, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, 17-15)
RECAP: The Golden Eagles showcased resilience in their late match, overcoming a fourth set loss and rallying in the tense fifth set.
Clarion started strong, taking an early lead in the first set with contributions from Stader and Karrick, capped by a kill from
Finley Kearney to secure the set 25-19. However, West Liberty bounced back in the second set, leveraging their momentum to win 25-17.
The third set was marked by Clarion's ability to capitalize on Hilltopper errors, with a key service ace from
Haley Fledderjohann aiding in a 25-22 victory. West Liberty then forced a fifth set by taking the fourth set 25-21.
In the decisive fifth set, Clarion initially fell behind 14-9, but a series of powerful plays allowed them to mount a comeback. After a critical kill from Stader and a service run from
Lauren Fjerstad, Clarion tied the game at 14-all.
Karlee Berchtold's solo block gave Clarion a crucial lead, and back-to-back kills from Kearney and Haupt closed the match. Fledderjohann anchored the defense again with 26 digs, while Bickett led the offense with 11 kills, and Kinsman provided strong net presence with seven kills and two blocks.
The Golden Eagles demonstrated their competitive spirit at the Atlantic Region Crossover, showing both resilience and skill throughout the day's matches.
