The Pitt-Johnstown volleyball team battled unbeaten Kutztown on Saturday, before falling 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-18) at Saints Center Gym in the Mountain Cats' third match of the D'Youville Tournament. Pitt-Johnstown, playing its third match in two days, moves to 1-2 on the season, while Kutztown improved to 3-0. The Mountain Cats close out tournament play later today against host D'Youville.
Caroline Knight paced the Mountain Cat offense with 11 kills and added 10 digs for a match-high effort on both sides of the net. Kamila Rodriguez Velez chipped in 9 kills, and Ellie Zuro Cirino followed with 8 kills to go along with 12 digs, giving Pitt-Johnstown a trio of attackers who found ways to keep pace with a talented Kutztown roster.
Abby Berry ran the Pitt-Johnstown offense efficiently, setting up 27 assists for the match, while Avery Koontz anchored the back row with a team-high 13 digs. Dannika Susko and Kiara Harmon each contributed defensively at the net, combining for four total blocks, with Susko posting two solo stops.
Kutztown out-hit Pitt-Johnstown 44 kills to 35 and held a slight edge in assists, 40 to 34, and digs, 60 to 56. The two teams were even at the block, six apiece, and Pitt-Johnstown's aces, 4 to Kutztown's 5, kept the serving battle close throughout the afternoon.
The Mountain Cats came out strong in the first set, building an early lead behind aces from Berry and quick kills from Knight and Rodriguez Velez, but Kutztown answered with a run of its own to tie the set and eventually pulled away late for a 25-18 win.
Pitt-Johnstown regrouped in the second set and traded points with the Golden Bears deep into the frame, staying within striking distance before Kutztown closed it out 25-23.
The Mountain Cats pushed again in the third set, getting a strong stretch from Berry, Susko and Rodriguez Velez to open a lead, but Kutztown's size at the net proved difficult to overcome as the Golden Bears closed the match with a 25-18 set to complete the sweep.
Kutztown was led offensively by Madilyn Bogovic, who finished with a match-high 16 kills and added 13 digs, while Paige Skinner posted 13 kills and Grace White chipped in 8 kills with 3 blocks. Emma Baldridge set up the Kutztown attack with 24 assists, and Saige Thibodeaux led all players with 14 digs. The win improved Kutztown to 3-0 on the young season.
Pitt-Johnstown closes out the D'Youville Tournament later today with a 4 p.m. match against the host Saints before heading to the Frostburg State University Tournament next weekend, where the Mountain Cats will face Frostburg State on Friday, Sept. 4, and Shippensburg and Walsh (Ohio) on Saturday, Sept. 5.
