Volleyball Earns Split at Bethany Tri-Match

September 7, 2011

BETHANY, WV -- The Penn State Fayette Roaring Lions volleyball team picked up its seventh win, and third against an NCAA Division III member school, on Wednesday night in a tri-match at Bethany College. Fayette opened up the evening with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-12) win over Chatham University before falling to host Bethany 3-0 (23-25, 15-25, 12-25). The split improves the Roaring Lions to 7-2 on the season.

Junior Leah Ambrosini (Connellsville, Pa.) led Fayette's attack against Chatham, tallying 19 kills in the three sets. Freshman Samantha Helmantoler (Monongahela, Pa.) recorded six kills, while fellow freshman Janelle Cooper (Uniontown, Pa.) had five kills and five digs.

Senior setter Katie Sleasman (Connellsville, Pa.) had 23 assists against Chatham, while freshman Emily Konter (Brownsville, Pa.) notched nine. Sophomore Marney Hillen (Connellsville, Pa.) led Fayette with 12 digs, while sophomore libero Victoria Kearns (Uniontown, Pa.) added eight.

Fayette started the Chatham match down 1-0 after an attack error, but took the next two points on Chatham errors for their first lead. After a Fayette error tied the score at 2-2, Ambrosini notched four consecutive kills, alternating assists from Sleasman and Konter, as the Roaring Lions took a 6-2 lead. Two Fayette errors brought Chatham back into the game, but two Ambrosini kills sandwiched around a Cougars error forced a timeout. Another Ambrosini kill made the score 10-4 Fayette before Chatham took two of the next three points. Cooper tallied a kill, followed by an ace by Sleasman to stretch the Fayette lead to seven, 13-6. A Chatham kill followed by a smash by sophomore Caitlin Fidel (Perryopolis, Pa.) made it 14-7, but three Roaring Lions' errors brought Chatham within four, 14-10. Sleasman stopped the run momentarily with a tip set, but two Fayette errors brought Chatham within three at 15-12. A Cougars service error was followed by a Chatham kill, and Cooper put Fayette up 17-13 with a kill. A kill from Chatham cut the Cougars deficit to three, but that is as close as they would get. Chatham followed an Ambrosini kill with an error, before a Fayette attack error made it 19-15. Helmantoler made the score 20-15 with a kill, and a Cougar attack error forced Chatham to take their second timeout. Chatham would only score two more points, first on a service error to make it 21-16. The Roaring Lions took the next three points on a Fidel kill and two aces from Kearns. A service error made it 24-17 before Fidel ended the first set with a kill, 25-17.

Set two started close, with a Cooper kill opening up a 1-0 Fayette lead, but the teams would exchange the next three points to tie the score at 2-2. Cooper and Ambrosini added kills to make it 4-2, but a service error cut the lead to one. Helmantoler and Hillen added kills before an Ambrosini ace gave Fayette a 7-3 advantage. The teams would alternate the next seven points to make it a 10-7 lead for the Roaring Lions, but Fayette would make a run, taking the next five points on the strength of two aces by Konter and kills by Cooper and Helmantoler. Chatham would make a mini-run of their own, cutting off the Fayette rally by taking three points of their own, two off of Fayette attack errors. However, Fayette went back to Ambrosini, who notched a kill followed by a kill by Helmantoler. Chatham took two of the next three points to make it an 18-12 Fayette lead, but the Roaring Lions went on a 7-0 run to take set two, 25-12. Sleasman tallied two more aces in that final run, and Fidel, again a set away with the final kill.

Fayette took a 3-0 lead in set three, as Hillen led off with an ace before a Chatham error and an Ambrosini kill. The Cougars answered with a kill, but two more Ambrosini kills sandwiched around a Fayette error made the score 5-2 before another Cougar error. Fayette would commit an error to make it 6-3, but it is the closest Chatham would be the remainder of the set. The Roaring Lions tooks the next five points, including two aces from Ambrosini, to give Fayette an eight point advantage. Two Cougar points were followed by three more for Fayette, including a Sleasman kill, making it 14-5. Chatham answered with a kill, but freshman Marisa Wallace (Smithfield, Pa.) added a kill to ake it 15-6. Following two Chatham errors, the Cougars made a mini-run of three consecutive points to make it 17-9. The Roaring Lions came back with five points of their own, including a kill from freshman Emily Caldwell (Belle Vernon, Pa.) and a block from sophomore Alaina Weiss (Monongahela, Pa.). Chatham managed two more points before an Ambrosini kill made it 23-11. The Cougars notched a kill of their own, but it was not enough as Ambrosini put the next two points down with kills, ending set three, 25-12, and giving Fayette the victory.

Game two saw the Roaring Lions get swept for the first time this season, as NCAA Division III member Bethany College took away Fayette's momentum early. Despite a more balanced attack offensively, Fayette was unable to match their success from earlier in the day in match two.

Ambrosini and Cooper led the way with six kills apiece, while Hillen and Fidel added five each. Hillen led the defense with eight digs, while Kearns added three. Sleasman earned 12 assists while Konter picked up 10, and Cooper and Fidel added four blocks each.

Set one saw Bethany jump out to an early advantage, taking a 10-2 lead on the strength of three kills and two blocks. The teams would swap the next eight points, including a kill from Ambrosini and a dual block by Ambrosini and freshman Katlyn Salisbury (Madison, Pa.), giving Fayette some needed energy. Two Bison errors brought the Roaring Lions within six, and following a block by Bethany, Fidel notched a kill before a Bison attack error made the score 15-10. Cooper notched a kill following a Bethany point, and a tip by Bethany's setter made it 17-11. The Roaring Lions would then make their run, earning the next five points on an Ambrosini kill and ace, followed by three Bethany errors. Bethany stopped the momentum with two kills, but Hillen answered with her own to make it 19-17. Fayette took the next three points for their first lead, including a Kearns ace and Fidel kill, before a service error stopped the Roaring Lions' advantage. Cooper notched a kill, but Bethany charged with three consecutive points for a 23-21 lead. A Bethany service error, a Fayette attack error, and another Bethany service error made it 24-23, but the Bison were able to squash the comeback attempt with a kill to finish set one.

Set two saw the teams go back and forth, as Cooper, Ambrosini and Hillen all added kills before a Bethany kill made the score 5-4 Fayette. Three consecutive Roaring Lion points, including a kill from Helmantoler, gave the Roaring Lions their largest lead over Bethany on the day, but they could not hold on. The Bison took the next six points before a Hillen kill made it a 10-9 Bethany advantage. A Bison kill and ace were followed by a Fidel kill, but Bethany answered by taking five of the next seven points for a 17-12 lead. An Ambrosini kill made it 17-13, but that's as close as the Roaring Lions could get. Four more Bethany points surrounded a Sleasman kill, before Ambrosini made the score 21-15. Bethany would take the final four points, including an ace and two kills, to take set two, 25-15.

The Roaring Lions jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in set three, but Bethany tallied five points before the Roaring Lions could answer. Hillen and Cooper sandwiched a Bison error to tie the score at five, but Bethany would then make their runs. The next five points would go to the Bison, before Ambrosini notched a kill to make it 10-6. Another three Bethany points preceded a Cooper kill, but Fayette could not earn consecutive points. Bethany took seven of the next eight points, the lone Roaring Lions point on a kill by Weiss. Helmantoler added a kill to make it 20-9, but Bethany answered with three kills in the next four points. With the score 23-10, Fidel would add two kills, but it was not enough as Bethany took set three, 25-12.

Fayette returns to action on Monday, Sept. 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Center Main Arena, hosting Point Park University in the Roaring Lions' home opener. Fayette will open PSUAC play on Wednesday, Sept. 14, when they travel to Penn State Greater Allegheny.