ALLENTOWN, PA — Penn State Berks fell to Cedar Crest College in the a five-set thriller, 25-18, 24-26, 16-25, 25-15, 15-8, in the first round of the United East Championship Tournament on Wednesday, November 5 at Lees Gymnasium.. Despite a strong showing in the third set, where the Nittany Lions dominated with a 25-16 win, Cedar Crest secured the match with a decisive 15-8 finish in the final set. The Nittany Lions tallied eight service aces and 96 digs, but Cedar Crest's 11 team blocks proved pivotal in their victory.
The Nittany Lions began the first set with a strong start, as
Madelyn Caris delivered an early kill from a setup by
Libby Swoyer to keep the score close at 2-1. However, Cedar Crest extended their lead to 4-1 following a service ace by Samantha Fitzpatrick. Berks responded with a service ace from
Gabryella Maney, narrowing the gap to 6-4, but Cedar Crest maintained their momentum. Amidst the back-and-forth exchanges, the Nittany Lions managed a rally, with
Emily Snader and Caris contributing key kills, bringing the score to 11-9. Despite this effort, Cedar Crest pulled away again, fueled by Ellise Everett's consistent attacks, pushing the score to 20-12. In the closing stages, the Nittany Lions attempted a final surge with
Ella Griffiths and Snader adding points, drawing the score closer to 23-18. However, Cedar Crest capitalized on Berks' attack errors and secured the set with a final score of 25-18.
The Falcons started the second set with strong momentum, quickly moving ahead 4-0 with effective kills from Ellise Everett and Samantha Fitzpatrick. The Nittany Lions responded with crucial points off Cedar Crest's errors and a block by
Julia Zaprazny to narrow the gap to 6-4. Snader and Caris led a mid-set surge for the Nittany Lions, tying the score at 9-9 and then overtaking the Falcons 11-9 with a series of strategic kills and assists from Swoyer. Despite a brief Cedar Crest rally that tied the score at 11-11, the Nittany Lions maintained pressure with Caris delivering key kills to keep the contest close.
As the set drew to a close, Penn St.-Berks faced a 24-22 deficit. However, a timely service ace by Griffiths and a block by Caris turned the tide, allowing the Nittany Lions to secure the set 26-24. The set concluded with Berks capitalizing on Falcons errors to clinch the win.
In the third set, the Nittany Lions gained momentum with a series of strategic plays, led by Snader's consistent kills assisted by Swoyer. After overcoming a back-and-forth start, Berks capitalized on Cedar Crest's errors to establish a lead. A key 5-1 run was fueled by service aces from Swoyer and Caris, extending their advantage. Cedar Crest attempted to rally, but the Nittany Lions maintained control through offensive pressure, highlighted by decisive kills from Zaprazny and
Oceana Tirado. As the set progressed, Berks continued to exploit Cedar Crest's miscues, with Caris closing the set on a high note. The set ended with the Nittany Lions securing a 25-16 victory, extending their overall match lead.
Berks entered the fourth set seeking to shift momentum, but Cedar Crest quickly established control with an initial service ace.
Mackenzie Davis capitalized on an opponent's attack error to keep the score tied early. Snader's timely kills, assisted by Swoyer, maintained pressure and kept the scores level at 5-5. Cedar Crest then pulled ahead with a series of blocks and service aces, extending their lead to 12-7 despite the Nittany Lions' efforts. Zaprazny and Griffiths contributed key points, but the Falcons continued to build their advantage, reaching 18-12. Late efforts by Berks included a service ace by Swoyer and a kill by Zaprazny. However, Cedar Crest's consistent service game concluded the set, securing a 25-15 set win.
The Nittany Lions entered the fifth set with momentum swinging, aiming to overcome Cedar Crest's lead. The set began with both teams exchanging early points, including a service error by the Falcons that allowed Berks to level the score at 1-1. Caris contributed a key kill to bring the score to 2-2, but Cedar Crest responded with a series of blocks and attack errors against Berks, creating a gap at 8-2. As the set progressed, the Nittany Lions attempted to close the deficit with kills from Caris and Zaprazny, narrowing the score to 8-4. However, Cedar Crest's consistent scoring, aided by Berks' attack errors, maintained their advantage. Despite efforts from the Nittany Lions, including capitalizing on opponent's errors, Cedar Crest increased their lead to 15-8, closing the set and securing the match.
Caris led the defensive effort for the Nittany Lions, recording 22 digs across five sets while also contributing a career-high 16 kills. Swoyer facilitated the offense with a season-high 38 assists and added two service aces. Snader tallied 11 kills and contributed a block, amassing 12 points overall. Davis anchored the back row with a career-high 31 digs, providing consistent defensive coverage.
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