LATROBE, Pa. – The Pitt-Greensburg women's volleyball squad opened its 2016 campaign falling in a five-set marathon to Saint Vincent and lost in straight-sets to Carlow on Friday afternoon in the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge.
In the opening match of the day, the home-standing Bearcats took the opening two sets 25-16 and 25-14 respectively before UPG battled back to take the corresponding two sets 26-24 and 25-8 forcing a fifth and deciding set.
The Bearcats jumped out to a quick 13-8 advantage and had a chance to seal the match leading 14-10. UPG did not quite and Renee' Ault drilled a service ace and Lauren Tassone pounded down a kill to cut the lead to 14-12. On the next serve however, UPG had a service error giving the match to Saint Vincent.
Tassone paced UPG with eight kills while Megan Kirkpatrick and Ault each chipped in offensive with seven kills. As a team, UPG was a force behind the service line totaling 14 aces in the five-set match.
In the second match of the afternoon, Carlow defeated UPG in straight sets, 25-22, 25-20, and 25-20.
UPG raced out to a 13-10 lead midway through the first set and Tassone's kill upped UPG's lead to 16-13 forcing a timeout by the Celtics. After the stoppage,
Carlow reelved off five-straight points and would take the first set 25-22.
The Bobcats led 5-2 early on in set two and led 8-6 on a kill by Amanda Ross. Carlow would score the next two points and take the lead for good. The Celtics looked as if they would run away with the set leading by five, 18-13, but UPG battled back to tie the game at 18, forcing Carlow to call for a timeout. Similar to game one, Carlow came out firing after the break and reeled off four of the next six points and ultimately would take set two 25-20.
Pitt-Greensburg held its only lead in the third set 1-0 before Carlow held the advantage for the rest of the game and claimed the third set 25-20 and would defeat UPG in straight-sets.
The Bobcats return to the courts tomorrow for the final two matches of the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge. UPG faces Allegheny College and Baldwin Wallace at 1 and 3 p.m. respectively.
