EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.- Riding a two-game winning streak, the West Chester University women's volleyball team (12-13, 4-7) took to the road on Friday night to begin its final weekend away from the home of the 2024 season with an important matchup at rival East Stroudsburg (16-7, 6-5). In need of a victory to keep its playoff aspirations alive, West Chester battled throughout the night on Friday but fell to East Stroudsburg by a 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-18) final.
Anna Richardson (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) led ESU in kills with 10, while
Zoe Haines (York, Pa./York Suburban) chipped in seven along with a pair of blocks in the setback. Richardson also registered 10 digs to pick up yet another double-double in what has been a strong rookie season for the Delaware native.
Lacie Brown (Cochranville, Pa./Avon Grove) led West Chester in assists with 24, while
Sydney Heffner (Bath, Pa./Northampton) led the team in digs with 13.
West Chester and ESU traded points throughout the early stages of the first set as the Golden Rams found themselves within two (13-11) nearing the midway point of the opening set. The visiting Golden Rams continued to battle as the opening-set continued but the Warriors escaped the opener with a narrow 25-20 victory, closing out the frame on a 3-1 run.
After a hard-fought first set, West Chester found itself trailing 16-5 early in the second set but the Golden Rams remained undeterred, answering with a 12-8 run to cut the deficit to 24-17 late in the set. The Golden Rams second-set comeback bid fell short as the Warriors used their early lead to hold off the resurgent West Chester, claiming the set by a 25-17 final to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
East Stroudsburg jumped out to an early lead in the third set as well, taking a 6-2 advantage early before stretching its advantage to 9-5. West Chester rallied back, using a 4-0 run to tie the set at 9-9 and after trading points again at 10-10. West Chester and ESU continued to trade points as the Warriors snuck out to a slim 15-13 lead before stretching the advantage to 17-13 entering the late stages of the set. West Chester halted the run to make the score 17-14 but East Stroudsburg won the next two points to take a 19-14 lead and force a West Chester timeout. East Stroudsburg continued its run out of the timeout, stretching its lead to 21-14, which forced the Golden Rams to take their second and final timeout of the set in an attempt to extend the match. Following the second Golden Ram timeout, the Warriors and Golden Rams traded points as West Chester cut the deficit to 23-17 but this was as close as ESU allowed its visitors to get, closing out the set and the match with a 25-18 third-set victory.
Anna Coulter led ESU in kills once again, finishing with 13, while also having a hand in eight blocks. Kelly Crites finished with two aces, while Taylr Haan added one to go along with a match-high 25 assists. Leonor Chambel led the way in digs with a match-high 16 in the three-set victory.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action on Saturday afternoon against Kutztown beginning at 4 p.m.
