Youngstown State University
12-8, 2-4
Valparaiso
11-9, 3-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown State | 25 | 31 | 17 | 14 | 1 |
| Valparaiso | 22 | 33 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Volleyball Drops Four-Set Match at Valparaiso
10/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Valparaiso, Ind. -- Valparaiso fought off five set points in the second set and proceeded to hit .419 in both the third and fourth sets to defeat the Youngstown State volleyball team 3-1 (22-25, 33-31, 25-17, 25-14) on Saturday at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Alexis Egler led the Penguins with 16 kills and hit .286, and Missy Hundelt finished with 13 kills and 14 digs. Jenna Cavanaugh added seven blocks for YSU, and Erika West posted 16 digs.
Ellen Vanden Berg had a match-high 19 kills with seven blocks, and Taylor Root registered 25 digs for the Crusaders.
The Penguins trailed just 1-0 in the first set and battled through seven ties before prevailing 25-22. After Valpo scored the first point of the match, the Penguins scored three straight points to go up 3-1. Valpo tied the score six times until YSU built a 16-13 lead to force a time out. Hundelt's sixth kill of the opening set put the Penguins ahead 20-15, and Shannon Watson's third kill of the set gave the Penguins the 25-22 win.
Neither team led by more than two in the second set until YSU opened up a 13-10 advantage on a block by Hundelt and Cavanaugh. The Penguins led 22-18 on a Hundelt kill, and a Watson kill gave the Penguins their first set point at 24-23. Kelsey Victor had a kill to send the set into overtime, and Valpo went on to save four more set points. YSU had a blocking error, an attack blocked and a serving error on its next three set point attempts, and Valpo finished the set on a service ace.
The third set looked to be just as close with 10 ties by the time the score reached 11-11. A block of Egler by Victor and Vanden Berg started a seven-point run for the Crusaders that put them up 18-11, and YSU was not able to get closer than 20-15 the rest of the set.
After YSU led 4-3 in the fourth, Valpo scored eight straight points to go up 11-4. Carlisle's third kill in four points brought the Penguins back to within 12-8, but that was as close as they would get.
Youngstown State hit .166 as a team, and Valparaiso hit .287 behind its strong final two sets.
The Penguins will start a season-long three-match home stand against Cleveland State on Friday at 7 p.m.
