Jaden Gray's match-high 17 kills and 10 digs led four Mountain Cats who finished in double figures in kills and helped Pitt-Johnstown wrap-up the Stonehill Tournament at 3-0 with a 3-sets-to-1 victory over Mercy (NY) College, Sunday afternoon in Easton, Mass. Pitt-Johnstown improved to 5-2 on the year.
After dropping the first set 28-26, the Mountain cats responded with 25-14, 25-21, and 25-13 wins.
The Mountain Cats fell behind by three in the early going of the first set, but
Caitlin Vrabel's kill tied it and a Mercy attack error gave Pitt-Johnstown a 10-9 lead. The Mountain Cats maintained a 20-19 advantage, before Mercy forced extra points and took the opening set, 28-26, on kills from Selma Vulic and Adriana Lopez-Soto.
Gray's kill, followed by a Vrabel service allowed the Mountain Cats to race out to a 15-6 second-set lead. Mercy battled back to make it 16-12, but Pitt-Johnstown went on to outscore the Mavericks, 9-2, down the stretch to even the match at one set apiece on another kill from Vrabel.
In a tight third set, Gray's kill broke a 19-19 tie and Pitt-Johnstown never trailed again. The Mountain Cats regained the lead in the match with a 25-21 on a
Cassie Pascarella kills and a Mercy attack error.
Pitt-Johnstown took control early in the fourth set and sealed the match with a 25-13 victory. Grace Miler's kill helped the Mountain Cats open-up a 9-2 lead to start,
before Gray's service ace increased it into double figures at 17-7. Pitt-Johnstown then cruised to the 13-point win.
Along with Gray, Miller had 12 kills and seven digs, Pascarella had a career-high 13 kills, and Vrabel tallied 11 kills and four blocks for Pitt-Johnstown.
J.C. Longville's match-high 52 sets assists and 10 digs guided the Mountain Cats, while
Erin Carmody and
Gabi DeRenzo collected 18 and 16 digs, respectively.
Imani DeBose had 16 kills and Vulic had 10 kills to lead the Mavericks, who fell to 3-5.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to the Lake Erie (OH) Tournament on Saturday, before opening its home schedule with PSAC matches against Shepherd (WV) on September 27 and Shippensburg on September 28.
