WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University women's volleyball team (2-3) returned to action on Friday evening vs Pitt-Johnstown (3-2) on the first day of its annual RamFest Tournament. West Chester battled throughout the evening, but Pitt-Johnstown used a late run in each set to emerge victorious by a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) final.
In the first set, West Chester jumped out to an early 7-2 lead before a 5-2 run by the visitors brought Pitt-Johnstown back to within two (9-2) early in the first set.
Nicole Dimiris (Hockessin, Del./St. Mark's) halted the UPJ momentum and sparked a quick run by the Golden Rams, which included back-to-back kills by
Zoe Haines (York, Pa./York Suburban) as West Chester pulled ahead 12-7. The visiting Mountain Cats continued to cut into the Golden Ram lead, trimming the deficit to 13-11, nearing the midway point of the first set. Pitt-Johnstown continued to battle back, eventually tying the score at 16-16 before taking its second lead of the set at 17-16. After seeing its guests take an 18-16 lead, West Chester took a quick timeout, which did its job in halting the run as
Brynn Dreisbach (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) answered with a kill of her own.
Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) followed this up with an ace, which brought the score back level at 18-18. This sequence was part of a 4-0 run by the Golden Rams, which saw the Purple and Gold halt the run, take a 20-18 lead, and force a UPJ timeout. The timeout did its job for the visitors as the Mountain Cats stopped the run and tied things back up at 20-20 before taking the first set by a 25-22 final.
After finding itself on the wrong end up a 7-2 run to end the first set, West Chester opened the second with a quick block by Dreisbach and
Hailey Lewis (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) to take the early 1-0 lead. The Mountain Cats did not trail for long, jumping out to a 10-6 lead before the Golden Rams made their run, pulling back to within one (11-10). The two sides continued trading points, but Pitt-Johnstown pulled ahead 21-17, forcing a West Chester timeout in the late stages of the set. The timeout halted the Pitt-Johnstown run, and after back-to-back
Lexi Niedrowski (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) aces, West Chester found itself trailing by just one (21-20) again. The Golden Rams eventually tied the set at 22-22 after kills by Wright and Dreisbach, prompting a Mountain Cat timeout. The Mountain Cat timeout proved effective once again, halting the Golden Ram momentum and helping the Mountain Cats win the following three points en route to a 25-22 second set victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
West Chester started off the third set well once again, racing out to a 7-2 lead thanks in part to a pair of aces by
Jamie Byrne (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty), which prompted an early Pitt-Johnstown timeout. West Chester continued its early dominance, extending the lead to 12-4 before a 9-1 run by UPJ brought the Mountain Cats back into the set, evening the score at 13-13, which prompted a WCU timeout. Out of the timeout, the two sides traded points, but the visitors took a 23-19 lead and prompted a late West Chester timeout. Out of the timeout, West Chester and Pitt-Johnstown traded points, but the visiting Mountain Cats emerged with a 25-21 third-set victory to win the match by a 3-0 final.
Dreisbach led West Chester in kills with 10, while Byrne led the way in assists with 26 and two aces, which tied for the team-high.
Sydney Heffner (Bath, Pa./Northampton) posted a match-high 16 digs in the setback.
Lualis Alvarado led Pitt-Johnstown in kills with 15, while Adiamar Beaz posted a team-best 41 assists along with an ace to emerge victorious over the Golden Rams.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Saturday morning against West Virginia Wesleyan beginning at 10 a.m. before facing Felician at 4 p.m. in the final match of the day from Hollinger Field House.
