SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Golden Eagles volleyball team opened up conference play with a sweep on Wednesday evening, defeating Slippery Rock 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-23) on at Morrow Fieldhouse. The Golden Eagles finished with 41 kills and hit .234 while holding The Rock to a .057 attack percentage.
Raegan Stader led the Golden Eagles with 14 kills and 15.0 points while hitting .440.
Kalina Powell collected a team-high 19 digs. Vandeborne posted eight total blocks, including two solo blocks, and added two kills.
Natalie Karrick finished with a team-high 18 assists, four digs and one service ace.
The Golden Eagles finished the first set by taking seven of the final eight rallies from an 18-16 lead, using kills from
Taylor Haupt,
Raegan Stader and
Natalie Karrick around errors by The Rock to close a 25-17 win. Earlier, the Golden Eagles answered an 8-6 deficit by moving in front 11-9, with Stader delivering three kills during that stretch. After The Rock tied the set at 11-11 and later at 15-15, the Golden Eagles responded with
Finley Kearney kills on either side of the second tie and got points from a
Finley Kearney/
Emily Klopp block and an
Emily Klopp solo block to build an 18-15 advantage. The Golden Eagles added a Haupt/
Cara Vandeborne block at 21-16 before the final stretch completed the set.
The Golden Eagles overcame an early 3-1 deficit by scoring seven straight points on
Kalina Powell's serve, moving ahead 8-3 behind kills from
Finley Kearney and
Emily Klopp, two Vandeborne-
Emily Klopp blocks, and attack errors by The Rock. The Rock later worked back to tie the set at 17-17, but the Golden Eagles responded with the next two points, including a Vandeborne block that made it 19-17.
Natalie Karrick added a service ace for a 22-19 edge, and after The Rock closed within 23-22, Kearney put the Golden Eagles at set point with a kill from Karrick.
Taylor Haupt finished the set with another Karrick-assisted kill, giving the Golden Eagles a 25-22 win in the second set.
The Golden Eagles finished the third set by breaking a 23-23 tie, using a
Taylor Haupt kill from
Marisa Markou to reach set point before closing the 25-23 win on an attack error by The Rock. Earlier,
Raegan Stader,
Emily Klopp, Haupt,
Natalie Karrick and Markou all recorded kills as the Golden Eagles built a 10-7 lead. After The Rock pulled even at 14-14, the Golden Eagles moved back in front with a bad set by The Rock, a block by Stader and Vandeborne, and a Vandeborne block for a 17-14 advantage. The Rock later rallied from 21-17 to tie the set at 21-21 and again at 23-23, but the Golden Eagles answered with late kills from
Finley Kearney and Haupt before taking the final point.
