INDIANA, Pa. – Behind seniors Challen Litwiler's 23 kills and Sydney Trathen's 55 assists, the Edinboro volleyball team advanced to the PSAC Tournament semi-finals after a 3-2 win over top seeded Indiana(Pa.) on the road. The Fighting Scots picked up the 52-22, 21-25, 25-20, 16-25, 17-15 win to advance to the PSAC semi-finals for the second time in three seasons.
Edinboro improves to 22-9 on the season while the Crimson Hawks (24-9) will have to wait to see where they are selected for the NCAA Tournament.
It was a bit of role reversals for Edinboro in the quarterfinals. Indiana(Pa.) snuck by the Fighting Scots in last year's quarterfinals when Edinboro was the top seed in the tournament.
With Indiana(Pa.) eliminated, Gannon, the highest seeded team remaining, will host the PSAC semi-finals and finals on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18. The Fighting Scots will play against the Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats on Friday in Erie with a 5:00 p.m. start time.
Against the Crimson Hawks, Edinboro jumped out to 12-7 lead to start the first set. IUP would close the gap to within two at 24-22 in favor of the visitor, but a kill by freshman Cierah Jackson, with the assist from Trathen, gave The Fighting Scots the 25-22 set one win and the 1-0 match lead.
After Indiana(Pa.) even the match at one set a piece, The Fighting Scots once again took the a set lead over the Crimson Hawks. Edinboro used their 7-0 quick start to jump ahead and never look back in the second frame. Trathen and redshirt junior Tessa Sikora teamed up for the Fighting Scots finals two points of the set. The pair got the block assist on a Crimson Hawk attack and followed that up with the Sikora kill from Trathen to give Edinboro the 25-20 win.
In the deciding fifth set, the Fighting Scots used a 6-1 run early to pull ahead forcing IUP to use both of their timeouts. With both teams would go back and forth late in the set with the teams tied up at 12-12. The Fighting Scots staved an IUP match point at 14-13 before evening things at 15-15. A Jackson kill and a solo block by freshman Paige Morris, gave Edinboro the 17-15 extra-point victory.
The Fighting Scots were led by Litwiler and Trathen's double-doubles. Litwiler had 23 kills and 17 digs while Trathen recorded hers with 55 assists and 17 digs. The seniors were just two of the four Edinboro players in double figure digs. Freshmen Molly Brier and Hannah Brentar had the match-high 21 digs each. Jackson, the team leader in kills, finished the evening with 21 kills and .271 attack percentage. Morris tallied six kills and five blocks.
