Volleyball Wins Five Set Thriller Against PSU Beaver

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

MONT ALTO, Pa. - The Penn State Mont Alto volleyball team battled all afternoon long and outlasted Penn State Beaver 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 15-10) as the team's celebrated Salute to the Military and First Responders prior to the match. The pregame ceremony included a live rendition of the national anthem by Mont Alto Instructor in Music and Arts Fred Davison.

Inside the Box Score

• Senior Courtney Stump (Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle Antrim) accounted for over half of the Lions 31 kills against Penn State Beaver and she also came up with 16 digs. Her 17 kills was a season-high.
• Katie Muse (Hagerstown, Md. / Boonsboro) filled up the stat sheet with 26 assists, 19 digs, a kill and one ace.
• Alyssa Roberts (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) had a career-best 20 digs. Fellow freshman Melanie Tracey (York, Pa. / Dallastown Area) finished with a game-high 26 digs.

How it Happened

• Penn State Beaver came out swinging in the first set and caught Mont Alto sleeping to capture the 25-19 first set win.
• The second set was much more competitive with Mont Alto fighting back from an early deficit to gain the lead at 9-4 forcing a visiting Lions timeout. A Breanne Byers (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) block solo put Mont Alto up 16-10, but PSU Beaver rallied for five-straight points. With the points going back-and forth a Rachel Manikowski (Mercersburg, Pa. / James Buchanan) kill put Mont Alto up for good at 23-22 as PSUMA closed out the set for the win.
• Mont Alto captured the third set win in large part to a long string of points with Courtney Stump (Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle Antrim) adding an ace within the sequence, which put Mont Alto up 17-10. The home team never trailed again to take the 2-1 lead.
• It was all Penn State Beaver in the third set as they cruised to the 25-20 win to force the decisive fifth set. Beaver had 10 kills within the set.
• Mont Alto won the final set 15-10 capitalizing on the PSU Beaver hitting errors while playing sound defense.

The Mont Alto volleyball team returns to action on Wednesday, September 19 in a PSUAC road match with PSU Fayette. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.