READING, PA - Penn State Berks women's volleyball was swept by Cedar Crest College, 25-20, 25-17, 26-24 in a league matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Beaver Athletics & Wellness Center.
The first set began with Cedar Crest establishing an early lead, capitalizing on two service aces and an attack error to go up 4-0. The Nittany Lions responded with kills from
Madelyn Caris and
Julia Zaprazny to close the gap slightly, but the visitors maintained their advantage with consistent scoring from Ellise Everett and Jasmine Beck. Berks staged a mid-set rally fueled by strong play from Caris and
Libby Swoyer, closing the gap to 15-14. However, Cedar Crest's steady performance and critical points from Tianlly Davila and Everett allowed them to extend their lead once more. Despite late efforts by Berks, including kills from
Mackenzie Davis and Caris, Cedar Crest finished the set strong with a service ace, securing a 25-20 victory.
The second set began with a back-and-forth exchange, as Berks responded to Cedar Crest's early lead through a kill by Zaprazny, assisted by Swoyer. The home team managed to draw even at 7-7, with key contributions from
Ella Griffiths and Caris, who each recorded kills during the rally. Berks briefly took the lead at 11-9 following a service ace by
Emily Snader and an error by Cedar Crest. However, the Falcons regained momentum with a series of service aces by Davila, pushing the visitors ahead. Despite efforts from Berks, including another kill by Zaprazny, Cedar Crest closed the set on a strong note, winning 25-17.
The third set began with Berks benefiting from a service error by Cedar Crest's Davila to take an early lead. Cedar Crest quickly responded with a series of successful plays, including a kill by Everett and a service ace by Sophia Curran, to build a 3-1 advantage. Berks narrowed the gap with a service ace from Caris and a kill by Zaprazny, tying the score at 3-3. As the set progressed, Cedar Crest maintained slight control, extending their lead to 9-5 with contributions from Everett. Berks fought back with a service ace from Zaprazny and a kill from Snader, bringing the score to 10-10. Both teams exchanged points in a closely contested set, with Berks managing to tie the game again at 22-22 following a kill by
Marissa Bailey. In the final stretch, Berks briefly took a 24-23 lead after a service error by Cedar Crest. However, the Falcons capitalized on a bad set and two consecutive service aces by Everett to secure the set with a 26-24 victory.
Caris led the team with 14 digs and added nine kills, contributing 10 points overall. Davis posted a strong defensive effort with 21 digs, providing stability on the back line. Snader registered five kills and was effective from the service line with three aces, totaling nine points. Swoyer facilitated the offense with 18 assists, showcasing her playmaking ability.
WHO;'S NEXT
In their next game, Penn State Berks will travel to Media, PA, to face Penn State Brandywine at noon on Saturday, Oct. 11.
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