West Chester Clinches Postseason Berth With 3-1 Win Over ESU

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Karleigh Lutz (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Amy Kovacs (Allentown, Pa./Central Catholic) each had 13 kills to help host West Chester down visiting East Stroudsburg, 3-1, and clinch the PSAC Southeastern Division Friday night inside Hollinger Field House.
 
West Chester (21-10, 8-9 PSAC) sewed up the Southeastern Division crown with the 25-13, 25-13, 16-25, 25-20 win over ESU (13-18, 5-12) on its home court. It marks the Golden Rams volleyball program's first division title since 2002 when WCU won the PSAC East and the first divisional crown for head coach Kassie Bellaver in her 11 years on the sideline. It also marks the first outright division title since 1983. West Chester shared the title in 2002.
 
The Golden Rams played seemingly flawless volleyball in taking a 2-0 lead in sets and limiting the Warriors to just 13 points in each. However, things got a bit more difficult in the third set, and ESU took advantage to stretch the match one more set. West Chester had just one hitting error in the opening set and hit .433 in the second.
 
Victoria Cruciani (Phoenixville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) added 10 kills in the win as well.
 
Jillian Grammer (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) distributed 40 assists while Nicki Yates (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) posted 24 digs. Lutz completed her second double-double in the last four games with 13 digs to go along with her 13 kills. Lyndsey Iacobelli (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) added 11 digs as well.
 
West Chester closes out its regular-season slate Saturday on Senior Day against Kutztown. Game time is 1 p.m. The Golden Rams will honor their three graduating seniors before the game.