Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Junior Desiree Claxton capped off a superb weekend with 18 kills and 21 digs, and East Stroudsburg University hit .220 as a team in a 3-0 road win over Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon. Set scores were 25-23, 25-18, 25-21.

Claxton, who last night set a new three-set program record with 24 kills at Edinboro, registered her eighth double-double of the season. Her 21 digs matched a career-high previously set against Mercyhurst (five sets) and Bentley (three sets) earlier this fall.

Junior Courtney Miller, freshman Sam Dunphy and freshman Jasmine Williams each assisted on four blocks for the Warriors (12-17, 4-11 PSAC), who had a 9-5 edge over the Rock (12-17, 4-11 PSAC) overall in that category.

Claxton additionally led the team with a .359 attack percentage. She ends the weekend with 42 kills, 30 digs, five blocks (1 BS, 4 BA) and a .359 attack percentage over six sets of play.

Today's victory was ESU's first over Slippery Rock since 2002, and it was the program's first straight-set victory in the series since 1981, when teams played in a best-of-three set format.

The Warriors trailed 14-8 early on in the opening set. Junior Maddie Reichard and Williams had two kills apiece during a 6-0 run which tied the score at 14-14.

A brief resurgence from the Rock had the home side ahead 21-19, but Claxton came through with kills to win five of ESU's six points, including the final two with the score tied at 23-23. Claxton had nine kills in the first set alone, and ESU's team attack percentage of .359 was its highest in a set since the opening frame against Cheyney on Oct. 21 (.462).

The Warriors won four of the first five points and never trailed in the second set. ESU extended its lead up to seven points at 16-9, but a 7-2 stretch from Slippery Rock lowered the margin down to at 18-16.

Junior Sarah Fillman and Miller each had a kill, and the duo combined on a block as the Warriors responded with four straight points of their own to regain control. Claxton's 14th kill of the match ended the second set in the same fashion as the first.

ESU again took charge early in the third set, winning 10 of the first 14 points, and the Rock were never able to fully recover. The home side won five points in a row to reduce its deficit to 15-14, but Claxton and Dunphy got the Warriors back on track with back-to-back kills and freshman Sarah Smith closed out the match with her fourth kill.

Dunphy ended the contest with six kills and a .286 attack percentage to go along with her four blocks. Juniors Rosa Veliky (16) and Erica Cunningham (11), meanwhile, each reached double digits in digs.

ESU returns to Koehler Fieldhouse for its final home contest of the season on Tuesday night, welcoming Kutztown for a PSAC matchup scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.