
The Pitt-Johnstown volleyball team returned to the Sports Center on Friday and got a match-high 12 kills, four aces and 11 digs from
Lualis Alvarado in a 25-15, 25-16, 25-20 PSAC Western Division sweep over Mercyhurst. The Mountain Cats, who will celebrate Senior Day and close out the 2022 season on Saturday, improved to 9-20 overall and 2-13 in conference-play.
It was all Pitt-Johnstown to start. A kill from Alvarado and
Adiamar Beaz's service ace gave the Mountain Cats a quick 8-2 lead. After
Abi Leitner's kill and a pair of Mercyhurst errors increased it to 14-3, the Lakers answered with a 9-4 run, capped by two Kylie Schnars kills, to narrow it to 18-12. That was as close as it would get. The Mountain Cats finished strong and got a kill from Leitner and an ace from Alvarado to take the set, 25-15.
In the second set, Pitt-Johnstown broke a seven-all tie with three consecutive points and never trailed again.
Katelyn Courtney's kill and another ace from Beaz pushed it out to 18-12. Mercyhurst came back with four straight points to narrow it to 18-16, but the Mountain Cats scored the final seven points, including back-to-back aces from Alvarado to secure the 25-16 win.
Six unanswered points from Pitt-Johnstown in the third set gave the Mountain Cats a 16-10 lead. Mercyhurst tried to keep it close, but Pitt-Johnstown went on the 25-20 victory and three set sweep on Alvarado's kill.
Along with Alvarado, the Mountain Cats also got six kills, four aces, and two blocks from
Mallory Pinske, five kills and a pair of blocks from
Natalie Lippincott, and five kills from Leitner. Courtney also had four kills and a match-high three blocks.
Beaz led the way with a match-high 28 set assists, nine digs, and two aces, while
Gabi DeRenzo finished with a match-high 12 kills for the Mountain Cats.
Merchyurst, which fell to 3-21 overall and 1-14 in the PSAC West, got four kills each from Paige Miller, Kate Hennessy, and Schnars.
Pitt-Johnstown will close out the 2022 season Senior Day and honor Abi Leitner prior to Saturday's PSAC West match against Edinboro at 2 p.m. in the Sports Center.