Posted: Sep 14, 2024
Penn State Shenango (1-6, 0-0) secured their first victory of the season in dominant fashion, sweeping Penn Highlands Community College (0-3, 0-1) in straight sets, 25-14, 25-12, 25-13. The win also marked the first career victory for head coach Andrew Frank.
Shenango's attack was led by standout performances from Sydney Ward and Jori Malone. Ward posted an impressive 11 kills on 18 attempts, hitting at a stellar .556 clip while adding 12 digs to anchor the defense. Malone was equally efficient, recording 6 kills on 11 swings with a .455 hitting percentage, helping her team control the match from the start.
Setter Carla Ramirez Ortiz was the backbone of Shenango's offense, distributing 12 assists, while Jade Shattuck added 14 assists and contributed 4 service aces. The Lions were effective from the service line as well, with Shattuck and Gabby Villanueva Santos each recording 4 aces to keep Penn Highlands on their heels throughout the contest.
Defensively, Shenango was solid across the board, tallying 58 total digs, led by Cyra Cross and Villanueva Santos with 13 and 12 digs, respectively.
With a balanced team effort, Shenango cruised to the victory, hitting .172 as a team while holding Penn Highlands to a negative hitting percentage (-.126). This commanding performance gives Shenango momentum as they look ahead to the rest of the season.
Coach Frank's squad will aim to build on this success as they prepare for their next match.