PSUAC Volleyball Quarerfinals: Penn State Mont Alto 3, Penn State Hazleton 2 (26-28, 22-25, 28-26, 25-20, 15-12)

HAZLETON, Pa.- For much of Thursday's quarterfinal against Penn State Hazleton, it appeared defending PSUAC Champion Penn State Hazleton would take the match and advance like they have done twice previously this season. Mont Alto had other plans, dispatching of Hazleton and making an incredible reverse sweep to defeat Hazleton for the first time in three tries this season to advance to Monday night's semifinals against Penn State Shenango. Junior libero Ashlyn Vandenbree paced Mont Alto on defense in the match, eclipsing 1,000 career kills with a team-high 23.

Hazleton recorded 16 kills in the opening set compared to Mont Alto's 11 to take the first set in a thriller 28-26. Mont Alto would drop the second set despite hitting .344, 25-22. The tides would turn in the third set as a Sydney Mack attack error would cap off the set as Mont Alto took the third 28-26. 

Brooklynn Sheridan would help force a fifth and deciding set on a kill from Elizabeth Trella to take set four 25-20. Tied 12-12 in the fifth set, Mont Alto took the advantage with back-to-back kills from Trella and a Hazleton attack error to advance to the semifinals and winning the fifth set 15-12.

Trella led Mont Alto offensively with 13 kills, Arianna Davey, Shanez Morales and Norita Martin each eclipsed double-digits with 10. Shea Leber and Davey were each effective at the net with five blocking assists each.

Sydney Mack (23) and Claire Riera-Gomez (22) led Hazleton once again in kills. Sophia Del Vacchio was the match leader in assists with 57.

With the win, Mont Alto will face top seeded Shenango from the west division who went a perfect 10-0 in conference play on Monday at 5pm from Rec Hall at University Park, Pa.