Lualis Alvarado finished with a match-high 12 kills and 10 digs, but Indiana (PA) secured a 25-13, 25-15, 25-23 PSAC West volleyball sweep over Pitt-Johnstown, Tuesday night in Indiana. The Mountain Cats slipped to 12-12 overall and 5-10 in conference-play.
IUP scored six of the first eight points to start the match and never looked back. The Crimson Hawks got the lead into double figures on a Nicole Peterson/Kylie Osborn block and used a combined 13 first-set kills from Stefania Anagnostou, Caroline Walsh, and Peterson to secure the 25-13 win.
Another fast start in the second set, highlighted by three kills from Walsh, gave IUP a 7-0 advantage.
Lauren Gechter and
Katelyn Courtney each had two kills to get Pitt-Johnstown back to within five midway through the set. However, the Crimson Hawks were able to extend their lead to 18-10 and outscored the Mountain Cats, 5-1, down the stretch to take the set, 25-16, on Brooke Little and Walsh's block.
In a much closer start to the third set, Pitt-Johnstown got kills from Gechter and Pascarella to help the Mountain Cats go in front, 5-2. After
Lualis Alvarado's kill maintained a two-point Pitt-Johnstown lead, IUP scored the next three points to go in front, 11-10. The Mountain Cats then went back in front, 15-12 on Alvarado's service ace. Another Alvarado kill put Pitt-Johnstown two points from forcing a fourth set, but the Crimson Hawks followed with four straight points, including kills from Walsh and Anagnostou, to close out the match, 25-23.
Along with Alvarado's 12 kills, Pitt-Johnstown also got six kills and a pair of blocks from Gechter, and six kills apiece from Pascarella and Courtney.
Adiamar Beaz led the Mountain Cats with 26 set assists to go along with 15 digs, and
Erin Carmody collected a match-high 17 digs.
Anagnostou, Peterson, and Walsh all had 10 kills each to help IUP made it five wins in its last six matches and improve to 17-14 overall and 7-8 in the PSAC West.
Pitt-Johnstown will wrap-up the 2021 regular season with a PSAC West match at Clarion on Saturday.