Fayette Falls to Robert Morris Springfield

November 10, 2011

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The no. 3 Penn State Fayette women's volleyball team dropped game two of pool play to no. 9 seed Robert Morris Springfield, 2-0 (23-25, 18-25), falling to 0-2. The Roaring Lions (26-8, 16-0 PSUAC) next meet no. 7 seed Lindenwood Belleville, who also sits at 0-2, at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Fayette must win at least one of their two remaining matches in pool play to advance, although tiebreaker scenarios could come into play.

Against the Eagles, Fayette was led by junior Leah Ambrosini (Connellsville, Pa.) with five kills, while sophomore Marney Hillen (Connellsville, Pa.) and freshman Janelle Cooper (Mount Braddock, Pa.) added three kills each. Senior setter Katie Sleasman (Connellsville, Pa.) added 11 assists for the Roaring Lions.

Robert Morris Springfield outhit the Roaring Lions, .211 to .176, as Fayette struggled to make a run on offense.

Set one saw Fayette grab an early 4-1 lead on the strength of kills by sophomore Caitlin Fidel (Perryopolis, Pa.) and freshman Samantha Helmantoler (Monongahela, Pa.). But Robert Morris Springfield made an 8-1 run for a 9-5 lead, and would not trail again. Fayette could not get over the hump, pulling within one on seven occasions, including pulling even and even taking a 21-20 lead late in the set. But the Eagles answered with four straight points, and despite a kill from Fidel and an attack error by Robert Morris Springfield, the Eagles were able to take set one, 25-23.

Fayette grabbed another early lead in set two at 2-1, and the match saw four ties through the first 14 points, including 7-7. But the Eagles grabbed the next three points, and despite an ace from Hillen, Robert Morris Springfield would not trail again. The Eagles took seven of nine points for a comfortable 17-11 advantage, before the Roaring Lions made one last push. Fayette went on a 6-3 run, including kills from Cooper and Helmantoler and a block by freshman Katlyn Salisbury (Madison, Pa.), to make it 20-17. But the deficit was too much, as the Eagles finished the set on a 5-1 run, taking set two, 25-18.

Fayette finishes pool play at 10:00 a.m. on Friday against no. 5 seed Southern Virginia University in the Mid America Sports Center.