PHILADELPHIA – The East Stroudsburg University women's volleyball team returned to the road on Saturday as they dropped a pair of matches at the Holy Family Tri-Match.

The Warriors (3-7) opened their day with a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 27-29, 19-25) loss to the Tigers before dropping a five-set heartbreaker to Molloy (20-25, 30-28, 21-25, 25-18, 10-15) to close out the day.

Senior Ali Finch highlighted the day for the Warriors as she recorded her first career triple double versus Holy Family with 10 kills, 36 assists and 16 digs. The Cadillac, Mich. native became the first Warrior since Tina Predojevic in 2016 to accomplish the feat.

Notables

- As the reigning PSAC Athlete of the Week, Finch continued her excellent performance for ESU as she racked up 19 kills, 75 assists, 34 digs and three aces acrosse the two matches

- In her debut for the Warriors, sophomore Claire Choloux contributed in multiple areas as she finished with 27 kills, 54 digs, eight assists and four aces 

- Sophomore Kaylee LoPresto recorded 21 kills, 39 digs, six assists and one ace in nine sets

- Senior Emily Meredith backed up her PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week honors with 53 digs across two matches

How it Happened – Match One

-  The Warriors raced out to a 10-5 lead in the first set before Holy Family responded with a quick 4-0 run to get within one at 10-9. ESU answered by scoring six of the next seven points to push their advantage to 16-10 which forced Holy Family into a timeout. Following the stoppage, the Tigers were able to gain some ground as they drew within in one at 24-23. However, ESU would close out the set on a Finch to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

- ESU and Holy Family traded points back and forth throughout most of the second set, but the Tigers went a 6-0 run when the score was at 16-14 to take a 20-16 lead.  ESU got within two points, but the Tigers would win the set 25-22 and tie the set 1-1.

- Similar to the previous set, the Warriors and Tigers exchanged points for a majority of the third frame until ESU grabbed a 18-15 lead which pressed Holy Family to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Holy Family went on a 5-2 run to tie the set a 20-20. As the teams traded rallies, Holy Family grabbed a 25-24 lead, but the Warriors answered with two straight points that gave them a chance to close out the set. Holy Family would then score four of the next five points to win the set 29-27 and take a 2-1 advantage in the match.

- Following a grueling third frame, the Warriors had trouble finding themselves in the fourth set as they fell behind 9-3 before taking a timeout. After ESU got within three at 14-11, the Tigers went a quick 7-0 run to push their advantage to 21-11. The Warriors would not go away quietly as they got the score to 23-16, forcing Holy Family into a timeout but the Tigers would go on to win the set, 25-19 and the match 3-1.  

How it Happened – Match Two

- With the teams tied at 12-12, Molloy scored five of the next six points to take a 17-13 lead which caused the Warriors to take a timeout. ESU was only able to close the gap to as close as two points the remainder of the way as Molloy took a 1-0 lead in the match after winning, 25-20.

- In a thrilling second set, the Warriors raced out to a 9-6 lead but following a Molloy timeout, the Lions grabbed a 10-9 advantage. After Molloy took a 17-13 lead, ESU answered with a 5-0 run to take a 18-17 lead which forced the Lions into their second timeout of the set. As the teams traded points over the next several rallies, Molloy had a chance to win the set after taking a 25-24 lead. However, the Warriors fended off multiple set points from the Lions and would go on to win 30-28 to even the match at 1-1.

- After Molloy grabbed a 12-6 lead, ESU answered with a 4-0 run after three errors by Molloy to pull within two, 12-10. Molloy would regain their form as they took a 21-16 advantage, but ESU scored three straight points, forcing the Lions to take a timeout with the score at 22-19. Out of the stoppage, the teams traded rallies and Molloy would go on to win the set, 25-21, to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

- The fourth set did not open the way the Warriors would've like it as they fell behind 5-0 before scoring 11 of the next 14 points to take a 11-8 lead. Following a Molloy timeout, ESU maintained their momentum as they gained a 19-12 advantage. The Lions answered with a 4-0 run, but ESU closed out the set strong to win, 25-16, and even the match at 2-2.

- In the fifth set, Molloy would race out to a 5-1 lead, but the Warriors would respond to tie the set at 8-8, forcing the Lions into a timeout. Out of the stoppage, ESU grabbed a 10-8 lead, but Molloy scored the final seven points to win the set, 15-10 and the match 3-2.

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