LA PLUME, PA- The Keystone College volleyball team split a pair of matches Saturday at the Gambal Athletic Center, opening the day with a thrilling five-set comeback victory over Elmira College before falling to SUNY Cortland in the evening match.
Keystone 3 Elmira 2
Keystone battled back from a two-set deficit against Elmira to earn a 3-2 victory, winning the final three sets by scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 15-8. After dropping the opening two sets, 25-18 and 25-16, the Giants responded with a strong third-set performance to begin their comeback.
The fourth set proved to be the turning point as Keystone held off Elmira, 26-24, to force a decisive fifth set. The Giants carried that momentum into the final frame, pulling away for a 15-8 victory to complete the comeback.
Isabella Buonopane (Wake Forest, N.C./Archbishop Williams) led the Keystone attack with 10 kills and a .304 hitting percentage. Hannah Ely (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing Valley Jr./Sr.) added seven kills and a team-high eight service aces, while Madison Woods (Camrose, Alberta, Canada/Ecole Camrose Composite) also recorded seven kills while hitting .300. Aliya Noriega (Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage) contributed four kills, and Kayjanai Gatlin (San Bernardino, CA/Rialto) added three kills.
Anna Johnson (Niles, MI/Niles) finished with 17 assists, while Nat Reyes (Lamont, CA/Arvin) led the Giants defensively with 11 digs. Ely added six digs and Woods recorded five as Keystone battled through five sets to secure the comeback victory.
Cortland 3 Keystone 0
Following the Elmira victory, Keystone returned to the court Saturday evening to face SUNY Cortland. Cortland earned a 3-0 victory, taking the sets 25-10, 25-12 and 25-7.
Keystone was led offensively by Nat Reyes (Lamont, CA/Arvin) and Hannah Ely (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing Valley Jr./Sr.), who each recorded two kills. Madison Woods (Camrose, Alberta, Canada/Ecole Camrose Composite), Isabella Buonopane (Wake Forest, N.C./Archbishop Williams), Nakaya Cridge (New Castle, IN/South Henry School Corporation), Aliya Noriega (Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage) and Lilly Mittelstadt (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/St. Francis) each added one kill.
Cortland's offense proved difficult for the Giants to slow, but Keystone continued to compete throughout the match. Reyes recorded eight digs, while Lilly Mittelstadt (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/St. Francis) added two digs and Anna Johnson (Niles, MI/Niles) contributed two assists. Reyes and Hannah Ely (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing Valley Jr./Sr.) each recorded a service ace, with Reyes adding two aces.
Keystone returns to action against Penn State Schuylkill on the road on September 15.
