The Gannon University volleyball team so far this year has been on fire with an 8-0 start, and the Knights are within five spots of the National Top 25. Gannon and West Chester are the only two PSAC schools to remain undefeated.
Although they have not faced any of the other PSAC teams, the Knights still have some very solid victories over Cedarville University, Lake Erie College, Merrimack College, and Hillsdale College, all at the Tony Banner Invitational held at Clarion University from the beginning of the season.
A week after the Banner Invitational Gannon hosted the PSAC/MEC Crossover. The two-day event had the Knights
facing some better but their opponents fell the same way. Of the six teams being there, Gannon looked to be the most superior beating all four of the teams they faced from the Mountain East Conference (MEC).
The first day Gannon defeated Concord University 3-1 in game one and beat West Virginia State 3-0 in game two. Leading the charge for the Knights on the first day was junior Kelsey Ansec, who recorded a combined 23 kills and 4 blocks in the two games, and sophomore Carolyn Knollman had an outstanding 61 assists in the two games.
The second day was much of the same action with the Knights shutting out Urbana University and Fairmont State 3-0 each. Seniors Hannah Kren and Lauren Beck showed off their elite college experience in the games with Kren taking up 20 kills and Beck getting 17 kills and 5 blocks.
Coming up on the schedule the Knights will head to Ohio to participate in the Notre Dame-Ursuline Tournament. The team will be facing more out-of-conference teams such as Ohio Valley University and Davis & Elkins College.
The tournament begins at noon Friday with Gannon taking on Ursuline College and the tournament will conclude the next day.
MATTHEW NEWARA
