Sports

CUP volleyball advances to conference semifinals

The No. 1 seeded Clarion Women’s volleyball team swept its first round PSAC playoff match against No. 4 Gannon Tuesday night, Nov. 9.

They took an early and commanding lead in game one, then sent their front-row hitters on a seek and destroy mission to close out their PSAC West rival in three games (25-20,
25-16, 25-19).

Clarion dominated the match with 43 total kills, four service aces and 59 digs, and outscored Gannon 75-55.

The victory ensures that the road to the PSAC championship goes through Clarion for the first time in school history.

After losing 3-2 at Gannon Friday night, the PSAC West Champions ran onto the floor of Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium with a sour taste in their mouths.

It was apparent early on that this game would be nothing like the previous one.

In front of 507 screaming fans, the Golden Eagles, perhaps, played one of their best games of the season with strong performances by Nicole Andrusz, Amanda Gough, Kaitlyn
Anderson, Corinne Manley and Rhianon Brady.

However, no one player from either team dominated the match quite like Kellie Bartman, who finished with a match high 13 kills, 11 digs and a .444 kill percentage.

“Kellie has become a complete player,” fourth- year head coach Jennifer Harrison said.

“She had a great swing and quality touches tonight.”

Setting up Bartman was a now healthy Gough, who had been struggling with an ankle injury during the past two weeks.

After a strong performance at Gannon Friday with 47 assists, Gough continued Tuesday with 33 assists, five kills and 10 digs.

With Gough at 100 percent and playing more consistently, the Clarion front line bullied the front line of Gannon.

Rebecca Webb registered seven kills and three blocks, while Anderson tallied nine kills, eight digs and a block. Senior Andrusz had multiple kill attempts and led the Golden Eagles
in blocks with four.

While Gough, Bartman and the rest of the front line exploited the Gannon defense, it was Clarion’s most consistent player and best defender, Brady, who made the play of the
game.

During game three, Clarion was trailing by two and seemed to be in danger of losing the momentum that they had gained in games one and two.

A Gannon kill attempt had redirected off the wrist of Bartman sending the ball flying to the opposite end of the court.

Brady raced from one end of the court to the other almost instinctively and made an over-the-perfect-shoulder pass to the front row where Bartman was waiting to finish off the
play.

It was a classic example of a player who never gives up on the play.

Brady led the team for the second year in a row in digs with 670 after breaking the single season mark during the 2009 season with 729.

“(Rhianon) is our safety,” Coach Harrison said. “She has a great sense for the game and came into (the match) tonight very confident.”

Brady led the team with 20 digs against Gannon, with most of them coming from opposite ends of the floor.

She also added a service ace. Altogether, Clarion’s defense held Gannon under .100 hitting.

“We knew we had to come in tonight and take care of business,” Brady said. “We work hard and push each other . . . we’re a family.”

The win improves Clarion’s record to 27-4 this season, the team is looking for its second PSAC title in school history, the last one coming in 1988.

Their next match will be against the Kutztown Golden Bears Friday night, Nov. 12, the Bears defeated Shippensburg 3-1 Tuesday.

Clarion defeated the Golden Bears earlier this season 3-1 and is 10-4 all time against them. The match begins at 7:30 p.m.

See “SnapShot” on p. 12