The Slippery Rock University volleyball team (11-4) was able to split a pair of matches this past week against Mercyhurst University(10-4) and Edinboro University (13-3).
The Rock faced off against Mercyhurst in a five-set match on Saturday. Outside hitters senior Kristy Lake and sophomore Leah Jones combined for 47 kills to excel the Green and White past Mercyhurst University to win.
The Lakers opened the match with a 25-22 set victory, yet The Rock answered with wins of 25-21 and 25-22. Mercyhurst then tied the match at two with a set score of 25-23 in the fourth set. The Green and White finally powered past the Lakers with a 15-6 score in the final frame.
Lake, who has a .344 attack percentage, recorded a career high game with 25 kills and 21 digs to post her sixth double-double of the season. Jones also recorded a career-best with 22 kills and 19 digs, marking her fourth double-double of the season. Jones now owns a .308 attack percentage.
During the final match, sophomore setter Nicole Fortuna served six straight points while Jones capped a 9-2 rally with a spike to give the Rock a the set and match victory.
“We compete every day in practice in order to be a starter in the game,” head coach Laurie Lokash said. “We have no ‘starter’ vs ‘non-starter’ drills. The numbers speak for themselves, and so far that has seemed to work for us.”
Senior setter Janna Reilly kept the offense alert by collecting a team-high of 35 assists, and tied her career-high of 16 digs and earned her third double-double in the fall season. Freshman opposite Emily Sokolowski rounded out the attack surge for SRU with a total of eight kills and three total blocks.The Green and White traveled north to take on Edinboro on Tuesday. SRU began the match by surging ahead of Edinboro 25-21 in the opening frame. The Fighting Scots bounced back to even the match at one, by totaling a 25-18 set score in the second. Edinboro then won the match by winning the third and fourth sets with scores of 25-17 and 21-20. The Rock rallied to regain themselves within one at 21-20, but those hopes were shattered as the Fighting Scots secured the set with a 4-1 run. Lake and Jones were in sync again by tying a game-high of 13 kills apiece, while freshman opposite Emily Sokolowski added another eight kills to end the leading attack for SRU. Lake led the defensive efforts by registering 16 digs for her seventh double-double of the season Reilly totaled a team-high of 20 assists, as Fortuna added a double-double with 17 assists and 11 digs. Senior middle hitter Michelle Hren added a team-high of four blocks.
“I have cautious optimism about the rest of the season,” Lokash said. “Our seniors are providing good leadership and the 16 freshmen and sophomores are learning as they go.”
With this loss, Slippery Rock falls to an 11-4 overall record and 5-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West play.
The Green and White heads to California University of Pennsylvania on Friday for a 7 p.m. start against the Blaze.
