yball team capped a successful weekend by handing Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference foe West Chester its first loss of the season, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at the Hammermill Center.
The Knights, playing at home for the first time this season Friday, made quick work of Millersville with a 3-0 sweep.
The pair of wins left Gannon with an overall record of 14-1 and a 3-1 PSAC mark going into Friday’s 7 p.m. road match against Clarion.
In Saturday´s game the Knights had three players with 10 or more kills – Ashley McClung had 12, Lauren Sampson collected 11 and Ashley Kerestes added 10. After a back and forth beginning to the first set, West Chester pulled ahead 18-11.
But Gannon responded with seven consecutive points that included three service aces from junior Lydia Lukomski. A kill from Sampson sparked a four-point run for the Knights, allowing Gannon to close the opening set with a 26-24 win.
The second set started with a five-point advantage for the Knights, 10-5. West Chester responded with six consecutive points for a 20-17 lead before holding off a late Gannon rally in a 25-23 victory.
Kerestes’ kill handed Gannon a 7-3 lead in the third set, and three straight attack errors from West Chester helped Gannon expand its lead to 18-14. The Knights scored six of the final seven points for a 25-19 triumph.
Gannon wasted little time taking control of the match-deciding fourth set with a quick 6-0 lead. Four straight points later pushed the Knights’ lead to 13-8.
Back-to-back kills from Kerestes and Sampson extended Gannon’s lead to 24-18 before the Knights won the set, 25-20.
The Knights out-hit the Golden Rams in all three sets and had eight service aces in the match. West Chester has never beaten Gannon, as the Knights lead the all-time series, 17-0.
In Friday´s game against Millersville, Gannon won 3-0 in front of a raucous Hammermill Center crowd.
Gannon scored three straight points, highlighted by kills from Kerestes and Ally Smith, to take an 8-6 lead in the opening set. The Knights’ lead swelled to 21-14 in the first set with a kill from Ashley Beyers and they closed the first set with a kill from Lexi Johnson and a pair of aces from Smith for a 25-20 victory.
Gannon recorded six aces in the second set with three coming from Smith. Johnson and Smith put down the final two kills for Gannon for a 25-19 set win.
Gannon opened the third set with a quick 7-0 lead. Two service aces from Toni Leitshuh and a kill from Kerestes extended the Knights’ lead to 12-3. Gannon used a 5-0 spurt to take a commanding 24-12 lead before Kerestes ended the night with a kill.
Gannon is now 15-2 all-time against Millersville and has not lost to the Marauders since 1994.
Following Friday’s match at Clarion, the Knights will travel to Indiana University of Pennsylvania Saturday for a 1 p.m. match and then trek across town to take on rival Mercyhurst at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.
Cris Del Diego
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