Hazleton closes out regular season with 3-0 win over Wilkes-Barre

Hazleton, Pa. - After locking up a postseason berth over the weekend, the Lady Lions closed out the regular season on Tuesday night, topping Penn State Wilkes-Barre 3-0. 

Sophomore Alessandra Banta (Coatesville, Pa.) tossed out 27 assists in the victory, coupled by 20 service aces for the Lady Lions to notch the victory by scores of 25-17, 25-8 and 25-9. Hazleton started off slow but picked up the pace as set one progressed. The Lions led Wilkes-Barre by just three points midway through the first frame until a pair of kills by freshman RosaLydia Caputo (Howard Beach, Ny.) and two services aces from freshman Caitlyn Williams (Kingsley, Pa.) gave Hazleton the separation needed to pull out the win.

After the set one victory it was all Hazleton. The Lions allowed just 17 combined points to Wilkes-Barre in the final two sets allowed consecutive points to the visitors on just two occasions. By the nights' end, Hazleton had racked up 34 kills on 68 attacks including 10 kills by Caputo. Senior Mekenzie Wolfe (Grove City, Pa.) added a season high eight kills and six aces while freshman Payton Fogarty (Kinnelon, Nj.) added eight kills respectively. 

Next up: With the regular season at an end, the Lady Lions are back in the Penn State University Athletic Conference postseason for the second straight season. Hazleton earns the number four seed in the PSUAC Eastern Division and will travel to Penn State Schuylkill on Thursday, October 24 for a 6:00 p.m. quarterfinal contest.