Roaring Lions Fall in Opening Round of Pool Play

November 10, 2011

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The no. 3 seed Penn State Fayette women's volleyball dropped their opening round match-up in the 2011 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Volleyball Championships against no. 1 seed Florida College, 2-0 (10-25, 10-25). Pool play, which is a best of three format, will see the Roaring Lions face no. 9 seed Robert Morris Springfield at 2:00 p.m. in the Mid America Sports Center.

Fayette (26-7, 16-0 PSUAC) was led by freshman Janelle Cooper (Mount Braddock, Pa.) with five kills, as junior Leah Ambrosini (Connellsville, Pa.) added four kills. Senior Katie Sleasman (Connellsville, Pa.) added eight assists. Fayette struggled to get much else going, as the bigger Falcons held Fayette to a .080 hitting percentage, the lowest of the season for the Roaring Lions. Florida hit .449, and notched 28 kills to Fayette's 12. Fayette also struggled to receive serve, as the Falcons turned out 12 aces.

Florida College jumped out to an early 9-1 lead, as freshman Samantha Helmantoler (Monongahela, Pa.) notched Fayette's only early point with a kill. Fayette made a 3-0 run to cut the gap to five, as Ambrosini and Cooper (Mount Braddock, Pa.) each notched kills. But Florida bounced back with a 6-1 run, including five kills, to take a 15-5 lead. Fayette sandwiched kills by sophomore Caitlin Fidel (Perryopolis, Pa.) and Helmantoler around a Falcons error to make it 15-8. A block and kill from Cooper were the only other points Fayette could muster, as Florida ended set one on a 10-2 run to win 25-10.

Fayette again struggled to get going in set two, as Florida jumped out to another 9-1 advantage. Cooper stopped the run with a kill and after grabbing another point, Fayette trailed 9-3. Florida took the next two points, but Fayette would battle back with two kills each from Ambrosini and Cooper kill to make it 12-7. But Florida went on a 6-0 run to make it 18-7, before taking seven of the last 10 points to take the set and the match, 25-10.

After taking on Robert Morris Springfield, Fayette will finish day one of pool play at 3:30 p.m. with a match against no. 7 seed Lindenwood Belleville. Pool play rounds out on Friday, Nov. 11 as the Roaring Lions match-up with no. 5 seed Southern Virginia at 10:00 a.m.