Lualis Alvarado collected eight kills, but Indiana (PA) took advantage of strong runs in each set to down the Pitt-Johnstown volleyball team, 25-8, 25-12, and 25-23 in PSAC West action, Friday evening in Indiana. The Mountain Cats slipped to 8-20 overall and 1-13 in conference-play.
After
Adiamar Beaz's killed evened the score early in the opening set, IUP caught first on used a 13-3 run, capped by a Nicole Peterson kill, to build a 16-6 lead. Pitt-Johnstown answered with back-to-back kills from
Natalie Lippincott, but the Crimson Hawks scored the final nine points to take the set, 25-8.
IUP held the momentum in the second set and climbed out to a five-point advantage on Caroline Walsh's kill, before the Mountain Cats battled back to narrow the gap to 12-10 on a
Mallory Pinske kill. However, the Crimson Hawks broke it open with 11 unanswered points and went on to the 25-12 victory.
In the third set,
Liredys Casiano service ace and a Lippincott kill gave the Mountain Cats a slim, 7-5, lead. IUP followed with an 11-2 run behind four kills from Peterson to regain the lead 16-9, The Mountain Cats didn't go away and countered with an 8-1 run of their own to tie it at 17 on three kills from
Katelyn Courtney, a pair of kills from Alvarado, and one from
Abi Leitner. Pitt-Johnstown then got kills from Pinske and Alvarado to go back on top, 23-21. However, IUP finished strong and scored the final four points to close out the three-set win with a 25-23 victory.
Along with Alvarado's team-high eight kills, the Mountain Cats also got five kills from Leitner, and for kills apiece from Lippincott and Courtney.
Beaz led the for Pitt-Johnstown with 21 set assists and 13 digs, while
Gabi DeRenzo finished with a match-high 16 digs, and Liredys chipped in 11 digs.
Peterson's match-high 11 kills and 13 digs, and Lauren Valentic's eight kills led a balance IUP attack that helped the Crimson Hawks improve to 19-5 overall and 9-4 in the PSAC West.
Pitt-Johnstown will close out the 2022 season with a pair of PSAC matches in the Sports Center. On Friday, the Mountain Cats will host Mercyhurst at 7 p.m., before celebrating Senior Day and recognizing Abi Leitner prior to next Saturday's season finale against Edinboro at 2 p.m.
