Lions move past #2 seed Kent State Tuscarawas in first game of pool play at USCAA Nationals

Uniontown, Pa. - The Hazleton Nittany Lions arrived in Uniontown, Pa. on Wednesday not for a victory lap following their PSUAC title, but in search of more accolades. Hazleton opened up the USCAA National Division II Women's Volleyball Championships on Thursday with a match up against #2 seeded Kent State Tuscarawas and the Lions did not disappoint. Hazleton split the first two sets with the Golden Eagles, but rallied in sets three and four to capture their first ever win in the national event by a score of 3-1. 

Hazleton started slow in the first frame, trailing Kent State by a score of 6-1 in the early stages but came back to even the score at 8-8 and gradually increased their lead throughout the remainder of the set. Following a similar start to set two, Hazleton got a combined seven kills from second year players Kaitlyn Kelley and Sarah Ballek to knot the score at 19-19 but the Eagles finished the frame on a 6-3 run to tie the match at two sets a piece. Set three proved to be the pivotal moment in Thursday's opening contest. Hazleton trailed 8-1 in this one but a pair of four point runs by the Lions that included a pair of kills from Ballek, as well as an ace and a kill from second year setter Sophia Del Vacchio, got them right back in contention. Hazleton and Kent State would trade shots for much of the remainder of the frame and with score tied at 19, the Golden Eagles stormed ahead for a 24-20 advantage. A crucial side-out kill from second year Lindsey Barron shifted the momentum and Hazleton withstood four consecutive set points behind the serve of first year Claire Riera-Gomez to tie the match at 24-24. Following a timeout, Riera=Gomez put the Lions ahead with a service and hitting error from the Golden Eagles gave the Lions a much needed 26-24 win and a 2-1 lead in the match. 

Set four was competitive, but for the first time all game, Hazleton kept with Kent State in the early phases of play. The Lions used that to their advantage midway through the set as Hazleton scored in bunches with kills from Ballek, Kelley and Barron to pull away from the Golden Eagles for good, winning the fourth frame by a score of 25-17 for the 3-1 match victory. 

Hazleton got contributions up and down the line up. Ballek, Kelley and third year Sydney Mack all finished with double-digit kills. Despite losing the hitting battle 51 kills to just 45 for Hazleton, the Lions play at the net proved to be too much for Kent State as the Lions registered nine blocked shots and had just 19 errors compared to 37 for the Golden Eagles which proved to be the difference in the game. 

Hazleton will now face Paul Smith's College in the second round of pool play at the USCAA Championship with first serve scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Friday. A win there will send Hazleton to the bracket round where the Lions would continue with a 7:30 p.m. game on Friday night.