Hazleton tops Mont Alto to advance to USCAA Championship Game

Uniontown, Pa. - The Hazleton Nittany Lions have moved on to the USCAA Championship game with a 3-2 win over Penn State Mont Alto. The Lions looked on pace to cruise past Mont Alto for their third straight win over their conference rival, but the Mont Alto squad came back from a two set deficit, forcing a pressure-packed tiebreaker set. There, the Nittany Lions regrouped and pulled away from Mont Alto by 14-7, giving themselves seven match points if needed. It took a couple of tries, but eventually Hazleton found pay-dirt, getting a game-winning kill from second year player Sarah Ballek, her fifth kill of the tiebreaker. 

The Lions racked up 56 kills in total compared to just 43 for the Mont Alto squad and despite Mont Alto earning 17 blocks in the game, the Hazleton attack was just too much to stop. 1st Team USCAA All-American Sydney Mack was dominant in the win, posting 20 kills to go along with two service aces, 13 digs and a pair of assisted blocks. First year Claire Riera-Gomez topped her PSUAC finals performance, with eight service aces against Mont Alto, and was key offensively with a double-digit kill effort. Ballek's effort in the tiebreaker gave her eight kills on the night with a solo block and four assisted blocks while second year Kaytlin Kelley rounded out the top offensive efforts with seven kills and 2.5 blocks. Second year setter Sophia Del Vacchio just missed out a on a 50 assist night, nabbing 49 in the victory while second year Nora Jones led the team's defensive effort with 25 digs. 

The win sends Hazleton to their second championship game in as many weeks, this time for a national championship. Hazleton will square off with their first round opponent, Kent State Tuscararwas who topped Cincinnati Clermont in the other semifinal game on Friday. Saturday's USCAA Championship game will be decided in the main arena on the Penn State Fayette Campus, beginning at 6:00 p.m.