Penn State Behrend Downs Saint Elizabeth To Move Into Championship Match
ERIE, Pa. - Penn State-Behrend using a high-octane offensive attack to roll past Saint Elizabeth University, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13), in the semifnals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday morning at the Junker Center.
Penn State-Behrend hit .413 for the match, pounding down 43 kills against just 12 errors on 75 total attacks while limiting Saint Elizabeth to a .194 attack percentage (28 kills, 14 errors on 72 attacks). The Lions also had four service aces to the Eagles' one and racked up a solo block and six block assists compared to no blocks for Saint Elizabeth.
With the win, the homestanding Lions (19-8) moved into the tournament championship match against New Jersey City University (18-10) later Saturday and ran their record at the Junker Center to 11-6 this season.
Saint Elizabeth (13-9) scored three of the first four points of the match, but Penn State-Behrend ripped off an 11-3 run to open up a 12-6 advantage in the opening set. The Lions kept Saint Elizabeth at arm's length the remainder of the set, never letting the Eagles get closer than five points the rest of the way as Penn State-Behrend took Set 1, 25-19.
Penn State-Behrend never trailed in Set 2, jumping out to a 3-0 lead and never allowing Saint Elizabeth closer than two points over the course of the set. The Lions made a 5-1 run to take a 12-6 lead and while the Eagles did close to within three points on six different occasions as the set went on - the last time coming at 23-20 following a Kodi Peters kill - Penn State-Behrend used a service error and a Alex Jackson kill to close out the set, 25-20.
The third set was close through the opening stages and a service error by the Lions got Saint Elizabeth within 7-6. However, Penn State-Behrend flexed its muscles again, scoring eight of the next nine points to take a 15-7 lead. The Eagles never got closer than eight points the rest of the way as the Lions cruised to the 25-13 win in the final set to take the match. The win was Penn State-Behrend's third in its last four matches, while Saint Elizabeth closes its season with losses in two of its last three after a two-match winning streak.
Dylan Buzalka led Penn State-Behrend with 10 kills (and a .444 attack percentage) and four digs. Kevin Skweres and Cameron Schleicher had six kills apiece, Owen Wienczkowski and Lewis Rhodes netted five kills apiece and Jackson had 28 assists, three kills and two digs for the Lions.
Peters had nine kills to lead the Saint Elizabeth offense. Eddy Pena had seven kills and six digs, Frank Rossi, Jr. had six kills and Charles Pampliega finished with 23 assists, three digs and two kills for the Eagles in the loss.