CLARION, Pa. — The Golden Eagle volleyball team won a tight conference match in Tippin Gym on Saturday afternoon, beating Pitt-Johnstown 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21) in PSAC West action. Clarion (16-6, 8-2 PSAC) finished with 13 total blocks and nine service aces, while the Mountain Cats held a 57-54 edge in kills.
Each of the four sets were nip and tuck, with neither team managing to open up large advantages for any extended period of time. Clarion held a six-point lead in the first set but neither team led by any more than four points at any other time in the match. Statistically the teams were even across the board, though the Golden Eagles' 13 team blocks and nine service aces were a factor in giving Clarion the win.
The Golden Eagles recovered from a 16-15 deficit in the first set with a stretch that pushed them ahead 20-17, getting a kill from Kayden McKinney, a service ace from Natalie Karrick and help from UPJ errors. Earlier, the Golden Eagles built a 10-4 lead behind kills from Raegan Stader, Karrick and Emily Klopp, plus a Lauren Fjerstad ace, before the Mountain Cats worked back to move in front 15-13. The Golden Eagles answered that mid-set pressure with McKinney's kill to tie the set at 15-15 and later added a Finley Kearney kill and back-to-back blocks involving Cara Vandeborne and Klopp to reach 23-19. Taylor Haupt delivered the Golden Eagles' final two kills, including the set-ending point, as they took the opener 25-22.
The Golden Eagles moved in front 21-18 on consecutive McKinney kills, but UPJ answered with five straight points and held off the Golden Eagles for a 25-22 second-set decision. Earlier, Vandeborne's serving helped the Golden Eagles take a 5-2 lead, with Kearney adding a kill before back-to-back aces. The Mountain Cats later went ahead 14-11, but the Golden Eagles responded with kills from Kearney around a UPJ attack error to tie the set at 14-14. Klopp and Kearney kept the Golden Eagles even through the middle of the set, and blocks involving Haupt, Vandeborne and Karrick helped them push ahead before UPJ's late run changed the finish.
The Golden Eagles overcame an 18-17 deficit in the third set, moving back in front on kills from Haupt, Stader and Karrick before reaching 22-19 on a UPJ attack error. Earlier, the Golden Eagles led 7-5 before the Mountain Cats scored six straight points, but the Golden Eagles worked back from a 12-9 hole with a Karrick service ace, Klopp's kill from Fjerstad and a block by Kearney and Haupt to go ahead 14-13. UPJ later moved back in front at 18-17, but the Golden Eagles responded with the late scoring stretch and got another Stader kill to make it 23-20. After the Mountain Cats pulled within 24-22, Klopp and Kearney combined on the final block to finish the Golden Eagles' 25-22 set win.
The Golden Eagles made their move midway through the fourth set, breaking a 12-12 tie with four straight points on Karrick's serve, including a block by Klopp and Kearney, a Kearney kill and a Karrick ace to go ahead 16-12. Earlier, the Golden Eagles opened with kills from Klopp and Kearney off Karrick assists, answered UPJ's 4-2 lead with a Kearney/Stader block and a Haupt kill, and later got three consecutive Marisa Markou aces to move from down 7-6 to ahead 9-7. After the Mountain Cats went back in front 12-11, Kearney tied the set from a Markou assist before the Golden Eagles' four-point service stretch created separation. UPJ got as close as 22-20 late, but Karrick and Vandeborne combined on a block, Karrick added a kill, and Kearney finished the 25-21 set win from a Markou assist.
Kearney finished with 13 kills, 15.5 points and five total blocks. Klopp added 12 kills without an attack error, hitting .571 and recording four total blocks. Haupt recorded 22 digs, nine kills and three total blocks. Vandeborne posted eight total blocks and added two service aces.
