Volleyball Rebounds With 3-1 Victory Over IUP on Friday

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The West Chester University volleyball team snapped a five-match losing streak on Friday night following a 3-1 victory over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Southwest Division opponent IUP inside the Hollinger Field House.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Golden Rams (17-8, 6-7 PSAC) grabbed the first two sets of the evening to jump in front 2-0, but offensive struggles in the third frame would keep West Chester from earning the sweep on Friday night. Although IUP only managed to hit for .041 in the third frame, the home team was kept to a .000 clip in the stanza, and the Crimson Hawks were able to stay alive in the match with a 25-22 win.
• With the score tied 5-5 in the fourth, IUP went on to score eight of the next ten points to race out to a 12-6 advantage. The Crimson Hawks were able to maintain a lead for a majority of the frame and with IUP up 23-20 late, it looked like the visitors were going to force a fifth set inside the Hollinger Field House. Down three, Freshman Sarah Polacek (JOHNSTOWN, PA/WESTMONT HILLTOP) notched back-to-back kills before senior Allie Duffy (CARLISLE, PA./CARLISLE) logged a kill of her own to put the Golden Rams up 24-23. With the match hanging in the balance, IUP's day ended after the duo of Polacek and Duffy teamed up to swat an attack by Jasmine Raudy.

 
BY THE NUMBERS

• The Golden Rams scooped a season-high 100 digs against the Crimson Hawks on Friday night, which stands as the most for the squad since September 2016.
• Despite hitting .000 in the third set, WCU held the .169 (57-26-183) – .099 (48-29-191) advantage in hitting percentage over IUP on Friday.
• Polacek paced the Golden Rams' offense on Friday with a career-high 18 kills on the evening, while fellow newcomer Julia Vreeswyk (YARDLEY, PA/PENNSBURY) added 11 kills in the victory.
• Senior Jillian Grammer (CENTER VALLEY, PA./SOUTHERN LEHIGH) notched a career-high 30 digs against the Crimson Hawks to go along with a team-high 42 assists, to give the setter her 18th double-double of the season.
• Graduate student Nicki Yates' (COOPERSBURG, PA./SOUTHERN LEHIGH) 27 digs were the most for the libero in her last 11 games, while sophomore Megan Shaw (FOGELSVILLE, PA./PARKLAND) tallied a career-best 13 digs on Friday night.

 
UP NEXT

• West Chester returns to action tomorrow (10/27) with a match against Clarion University at home. First serve from the Hollinger Field House is slated for 1:00 p.m.