Pitt-Johnstown could not overcome Nicole Peterson's match-high 16 kills as IUP handed the Mountain Cats a 25-15, 24-26, 25-15, 25-19 loss in the Sports Center on Tuesday night.

Pitt-Johnstown dropped to 7-10 overall and 1-4 in PSAC West play.

After Lualis Alvarado's ace cut the Mountain Cats' deficit to one at 6-5, the Crimson Hawks rattled off a 7-0 run to take command.

Alvarado paced Pitt-Johnstown's attack with a team-high 10 kills and provided 11 digs. Christen Maloney totaled eight kills, while Mallory Pinske provided seven kills and two blocks. Gabi DeRenzo had a team-high 14 digs and dished out five assists. Adiamar Beaz tallied 25 assists and 13 digs.

The Mountain Cats rebounded by winning a back-and-forth second set that was tied 11 different times. 

Following a kill by IUP's Brooke Little, who racked up 11 kills and two blocks, that tied the set at 24-all, a setting error and a block by Alvarado gave the Mountain Cats the victory.

With the third set knotted at 8-all, the Crimson Hawks pulled away with another 7-0 burst, pushing their lead to 15-8 and coasting from there to a 2-1 lead.

After trailing early on in the fourth set, Isabella Gomez's ace got Pitt-Johnstown within a point, 16-15. But IUP would win six of the next seven rallies to grab a 22-16 lead it would never relinquish.

Caroline Walsh provided eight kills for IUP, which improved to 14-2 and 4-1 in the conference. Leah Henderson delivered a match-high 43 assists and five aces. Bailey Flowerdew had a match-high 19 digs, while Hannah Simmons had 11 and Stefania Anagnostou added 10. Lauren Valentic totaled four blocks and two aces.

Pitt-Johnstown visits PSAC West leader Clarion on Friday at 6 p.m.