CHARLESTON, WV. – The East Stroudsburg University Warriors improved to 4-2 on the season with two impressive straight-set wins over Glenville State (25-10, 26-24, 25-20) and the University of Charleston (25-21, 25-242 25-21) at the Wehrle Innovation Center on Friday.
Match 1: How it Happened
The Warriors were in control from the opening serve, showcasing a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive execution to secure the sweep over the Pioneers. ESU hit .287 as a team while holding Glenville State to just a .111 hitting percentage.
Offensive Leaders
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Romina Martinez led the charge with 10 kills and a .296 hitting percentage, also contributing two service aces and a block assist for 13.0 total points.
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Anna Coulter delivered another solid performance with nine kills, one ace, and two block assists, totaling 14.5 points.
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Kelly Crites chipped in six kills on .294 hitting, along with a block and a dig for 6.5 points.
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Allison Birtcil added six kills and three block assists for a total of 8.5 points.
Setting and Defense
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Kata Kovacs contributed a team-high 19 assists while also adding five digs, running the offense efficiently throughout all three sets.
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Kyra Bishop was near-perfect in her role, dishing out seven assists and scoring on all of her attack attempts to hit 1.000.
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Marta Leeland had a strong all-around effort with three assists and a team-high 12 digs.
• The Warriors defense totaled 42 digs and 12 block assists, stifling Glenville State's offense throughout the match.
Set Highlights
• ESU dominated the opening set 25-10, hitting an efficient .476 while holding Glenville State to just seven kills.
• The second set was the most competitive, featuring nine ties and five lead changes. ESU edged out a 26-24 win thanks to late kills from Martinez and Birtcil.
• In the final set, the Warriors pulled away midway through and closed strong to secure the 25-20 victory.
With the win, East Stroudsburg continues to build momentum heading into the heart of the season. The team's depth and versatility were on full display, as nine different players contributed to the scoring column.
Match 2: How it Happened
The Warriors battled showcasing a balanced offensive attack, strong defensive, and big blocking execution to secure the sweep over the Golden Eagles. ESU hit .272 as a team while holding University of Charleston to a .185 hitting percentage.
Offensive Leaders
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Allison Birtcil led the charge with 11 kills and a .474 hitting percentage, also contributing six blocks for 15.0 total points.
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Anna Coulter delivered another solid performance also with 11 kills, four blocks, and a .435 hitting percentage totaling 14.0 points.
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Kelly Crites chipped in six kills, along with a block and a dig for 6.5 points.
Setting and Defense
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Kata Kovacs contributed a team high with 16 assists while also adding two service aces.
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Kyra Bishop dished out the second highest with 14 assists and contributed two blocks.
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Marta Leeland had a strong all-around effort with three assists and a team-high eight digs.
• The Warriors defense totaled 32 digs and 11 blocks, stifling Charleston's offense throughout the match.
Set Highlights
• ESU with the opening set 25-21, hitting an efficient .333 while holding Charleston to 14 kills.
• The second set was the most competitive. ESU with a 25-22 win with 10 kills and a .206 hitting percentage.
• In the final set, the Warriors pulled away midway through and closed strong to secure the 25-21 victory.
With the win, East Stroudsburg continues to build more momentum heading into tomorrow. The team's grit and fight were on full display, as 11 different players contributed to the scoring column.
Next Up
The Warriors look to extend their winning streak in their next matchup tomorrow against West Virginia State at 1:00pm and right after with Point Park at 4:00pm.
