Women’s Volleyball comes up short against Penn State Altoona

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University women's volleyball lost a 3-1 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference contest to visiting Penn State Altoona during Pink Out night Tuesday.

The Celtics (6-13, 0-3 AMCC) won the first set, 25-18, before the Lions (13-10, 4-0 AMCC) rallied for the final three sets, 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22.

Javonna Perkins (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Obama Academy) hit a game- and season-high 15 kills with four blocks to lead the Celtics. Rebecca Hess (New Alexandria, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic) recorded a double-double 17 digs and 11 kills, and Alison Humberston (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands HS) added 11 kills in the effort.

Four other Celtics tallied double-figure digs, and Sarah Porter (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway HS) set 29 assists on the night.

Carlow came out swinging in the first set. Trailing 13-11, a kill from Humberston and an Altoona attack error tied the game at 13-all.

Altoona scored the next point, and Perkins tied it at 14-14 with another kill, setting off a 7-1 run that prompted the Lions to use both timeouts. Ahead 22-18, three errors in a row from the Lions handed Carlow the 25-18 victory.

Carlow kept the hot streak rolling through the second set, jumping out to a 7-0 advantage to start the set.

A kill ended Carlow's run before the Lions hit a service error that handed the ball back to the Celtics. Carlow went ahead 11-1 before a service error forced the side out and the Lions scored five in a row, prompting a Carlow timeout.

Altoona steadily clawed back to tie the game at 14- and 15-all, taking the lead on a Carlow attack error. The Celtics did not back down, taking advantage of three Lions errors in a row to trail by two, 21-19. A Carlow service error and an Altoona ace ended the second set, 25-20.

The teams switched it up in the second set, with the Lions starting out with the lead and Carlow inching its way back to tie the game at 9-9.

Both teams tied the score three more times before Altoona pulled ahead, with the Celtics winning one of many long rallies to tie the game at 12-all.

Down 24-19, back-to-back kills from Megan Cooper (North Canton, Ohio / Jackson HS) and Perkins cut the Lions' lead to three, and Perkins produced a huge solo block to see the Celtics trailing by two. A Carlow error following an Altoona timeout handed the Lions the 25-22 victory, leading the game, 2-1.

The Lions leapt to a 12-5 lead to begin the fourth set, although the Celtics would not go down without a fight. Carlow battled its way back to the very end, with a service ace from Rebecca Hess making the score 23-21 in favor of Altoona. Hess hit another ace, but the officials replayed the point, stating the Lions could have made the play had the ball not hit off one of the structures in the gymnasium. A subsequent attack error gave Altoona another point, but a kill from Humberston kept Carlow within two. The Celtics ended the set and the game with a tough play that resulted in an error and the 25-22 defeat.

Lia Simanski led the Lions with 10 kills, and Anna Batrus had a game-high 32 digs. Taylor Myers landed four of Altoona's 11 service aces on the night.

The Celtics return to action with a road trip to Hilbert College for a 7 p.m. AMCC matchup Oct. 24.