KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Despite a slow start, the East Stroudsburg University women's volleyball team battled back to earn a five-set victory over Kutztown in a crucial PSAC East matchup Friday evening on the road. Set scores were 14-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-20, and 16-14.
The Warriors have now won eight consecutive matches against the Golden Bears after previously defeating them in straight sets in mid-September.
Jadyn Orava led with 18 kills, followed by Rylee Ruggiero with 14, while Kailynn Dupre and Harry Berry each added 10. Kyra Bishop recorded 47 assists, one service ace, and four assisted blocks. Allison Flynn led with 29 digs and added four assists. Defensively, Berry paced the Warriors with eight assisted blocks and one solo block, while Orava added seven assisted blocks.
Set 1: The Warriors opened with three early kills from Orava, Ruggiero, and Berry. Kelly Crites and Orava added kills to tie the score at 6-6 before Kutztown responded with a 6-0 run. A Berry kill ended the run, but the Golden Bears continued to extend their lead. Ruggiero added two kills before Kutztown took a double-digit advantage. Bishop and Orava each recorded a final kill, but the Golden Bears closed the set with a 3-0 run, 25-14.
Set 2: Berry opened the scoring for ESU with a kill before Kutztown built an 8-2 lead. A service ace from Crites brought the Warriors within seven at 12-5. Berry and Orava recorded the first block of the night for ESU, while Dupre and Ruggiero added another later in the set. The Warriors used four Kutztown errors to cut into the deficit before consecutive kills from Orava brought ESU within two. Berry tied the score at 23-23 before the teams traded points. Crites recorded the go-ahead kill, and a Kutztown attacking error gave ESU the second set, 28-26.Â
Set 3: The teams traded points early, with Dupre recording two kills to tie the score at 5-5. A pair of Warrior blocks evened the score at 7-7 before kills from Berry and Orava made it 9-9. Kutztown used a 4-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. ESU battled back, pulling within one at 15-14 on a block from Dupre and Bishop. Consecutive kills from Orava and Ruggiero brought the Warriors within one again at 21-20, but Kutztown held on to take the set, 25-23.
Set 4: Bishop opened the set with a service ace before Orava added one of her own, giving ESU a 3-1 lead. Kills from Crites and Orava extended the advantage to 8-3 before Kutztown responded with a 5-0 run to tie the score. The Warriors regained the lead at 11-10 before consecutive kills from Orava and Crites made it 15-11. After Kutztown took an 18-17 lead, ESU responded with an Orava kill and a block from Bishop and Dupre. Orava and Berry added the final two kills to secure the fourth set, 25-20.
Set 5: Ruggiero opened the set with two early kills before Kutztown took a 5-2 lead. Back-to-back kills from Orava gave ESU a 7-6 advantage. Dupre added a kill before a block from Orava and Berry extended the lead to 9-7. Ruggiero added her fifth kill of the set before Crites recorded the final point to secure the win, 16-14.Â
Up NextÂ
The Warriors return home tomorrow, October 31, for a Senior Day matchup against Lackawanna at 4:00 p.m.
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