Penn State New Kensington Falls to Penn State Beaver in Straight Sets

Penn State New Kensington Falls to Penn State Beaver in Straight Sets

Penn State New Kensington (8-8, 2-5) struggled to find its rhythm on the road, falling to Penn State Beaver (3-12, 2-5) in straight sets, 25-15, 25-17, 25-11, on October 5, 2024, at the Beaver Field House. Penn State Beaver's efficient attacking and consistent serving proved to be too much for New Kensington to handle.

Set Recap:

• Set 1: Penn State Beaver started strong, taking the first set 25-15. New Kensington committed seven attack errors and hit -.059, while Beaver managed nine kills, maintaining a slight edge with a .053 hitting percentage.
• Set 2: The second set followed a similar pattern, with Penn State Beaver winning 25-17. Despite New Kensington improving slightly with six kills, they still struggled to find consistency with a -.118 hitting percentage. Beaver capitalized with 10 kills and only five errors, hitting .143.
• Set 3: In the final set, Beaver dominated, cruising to a 25-11 win. They recorded an impressive .444 hitting percentage, with 15 kills and only three errors, while New Kensington was held to just five kills with no errors but could not generate enough offense.

Key Performances for Penn State New Kensington:

• Kayla Unger led New Kensington with five kills and added two service aces, scoring a total of 7.0 points.
• Emily Lewandowski also had five kills, contributing 6.5 points along with one ace.
• Jessica Staraniec chipped in with four kills and 8 digs, while Gabby Wolfkill and Gabrielle Green each added 3 digs on defense.
• Annmarie Uhl led the defense with 17 digs, providing strong back-row play despite the loss.

Team Struggles:

Penn State New Kensington couldn't get their attack going, finishing with a -.065 hitting percentage across three sets. They totaled 22 kills but committed 23 errors on 93 attempts. Despite solid defensive efforts, they were unable to overcome Beaver's more efficient play, which saw them hit .190 overall with 34 kills and only 15 errors.

Penn State New Kensington Stat Leaders:

• Kills: Kayla Unger (5), Emily Lewandowski (5)
• Aces: Kayla Unger (2), Gabrielle Green (1)
• Digs: Annmarie Uhl (17), Jessica Staraniec (8)

Penn State New Kensington will look to bounce back in their next matchup as they aim to improve their conference record.