West Chester Grabs PSAC Win In Close Battle With UPJ

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - West Chester University women's volleyball went to five sets for the fourth straight match on Saturday and pulled out the 3-2 victory over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
 
The Golden Rams (13-4, 1-3 PSAC) had a 2-0 lead over UPJ (7-6, 0-4 PSAC) and nearly let the match slip away before winning the fifth set 18-16.
 
How it happened:
 

• The Golden Rams jumped out to a 12-5 lead in the first set before Pitt-Johnstown climbed back to make it 24-23. Senior Rachel Robb (Blackwood, N.J. / Paul VI) sealed it with a kill.
• The second set was the same story as West Chester led 10-5, and a kill from Robb ended it at 25-21. Senior Emily Ahern (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West) assisted both set-clinching kills.
• West Chester needed one point to win the match at four different spots in the third set. But they couldn't put it away as UPJ battled to win it 29-27.
• The fourth set was never close. The Mountain Cats took a 7-1 lead and never looked back, winning 25-18.
• The lead changed five times in the fifth set. Freshman Ali Miller (Enola, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) had a remarkable kill to make it 17-16 that she bumped over the net while she was facing away from it. The Golden Rams took the victory on the next point as UPJ hit the ball into the net.

 
Inside the numbers:
 

• Sophomores Sarah Polacek (Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop), Julia Vreeswyk (Yardley, Pa. / Pennsbury) and Grace Whitney (Glenside, Pa. / Abington) all had double-digit kills with 14, 10 and 10, respectively.
• Ahern totaled 43 assists with nine digs, three block assists and two kills.
• Graduate student Shaye Whiteman (Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg) recorded 26 digs. She's had at least 19 digs in each of the last five matches.
• Sophomore Katie McGonigal (Aston, Pa. / Padua Academy) had four service aces and 11 digs.

 
Up next:
 
West Chester is back on the road with matches at Gannon University, Mercyhurst University and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.