La Plume, Pa. – Keystone College's volleyball team earned its first two victories of the 2016 season on Saturday by sweeping a tri-match with Wilkes University and Penn State Berks. The Giants defeated the Colonels in four sets before taking down the Nittany Lions in three sets to improve to 2-4 on the year.
Hannah Zuchowski (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area) set a Keystone record for a three-set match with 22 kills in the Giants' win over Penn State Berks in their second match of the day.
Match 1 vs. Wilkes
In Saturday's opener against Wilkes (3-4), Keystone opened the match with a 25-22 win in the first set before the Colonels leveled the match at one-apiece with a 25-20 decision in the second frame. The Giants took a 2-1 edge with a 25-17 victory in the third game before claiming their first match of the season with a 25-23 triumph in the fourth set.
Zuchowski led Keystone with a double-double on a match-high 17 kills to go along with 11 digs,
Kristen Larkin (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) had 10 kills, and
Shannon Monahan (Manalapan, N.J./Freehold) finished the contest with eight kills.
Malley Bowen (Owego, N.Y./Tioga Central) dished out a team-best 22 assists while
Sydney Binkley (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) chipped in with 12 helpers.
Pamela Heitman (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) picked up a team-leading 12 digs while
Victoria Homfeld (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) added 11 digs. Homfeld also paced the Giants with three services aces while Binkley and
Maddie Roat (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) served up a pair of aces for Keystone, who posted a .248 hitting percentage as a team in the win.
Ally Paskas and Jamey Mikovich had 11 kills apiece to lead Wilkes while Grace Boyle added 10 kills. Alexis Morgan dished out a match-high 31 assists while Boyle picked up a team-best 11 digs. The Colonels posted a .190 hitting percentage in the loss before going on to defeat Penn State Berks in four sets in their second match of the day.
Match 2 vs. Penn State Berks
Keystone jumped out to a fast start in Saturday's second contest against Penn State Berks (2-3), winning the opening set 25-10. The Giants than battled their way to a thrilling, 30-28 decision in game two before closing out their second win of the day with a 25-13 victory in the third set.
Zuchowski had a huge match, putting down 22 kills on 30 attempts for a remarkable, .733 hitting percentage while breaking her own school record for kills in a three-set match, which the senior previously held with 20 against Cedar Crest College in 2014.
Larkin added seven kills, Bowen had six kills to go along with match-high 31 assists and 11 digs, and Monahan put down five kills.
Heitman picked up nine digs while Homfeld finished with seven aces and seven digs while Monahan and Zuchowski had three blocks apiece for Keystone, who posted an outstanding, .458 hitting percentage in the win.
Lindsey Amrhein and Alexis Horst had seven kills apiece to lead the Nittany Lions while Morgan Schwartz led Penn State Berks with 21 assists and seven digs.
Penn State Berks recorded a .171 hitting percentage as a team against the Giants.
Up Next
Keystone will open Colonial States Athletic Conference play on Tuesday night with a home match against Marywood University. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. in La Plume.
