Reading, Pa (October 10, 2023) - Alvernia University (9-5, 2-2) took down cross-town rivals Albright College (13-6, 0-4) 3-1, in a MAC Commonwealth women's volleyball matchup Tuesday night at Alvernia.
The Golden Wolves took sets one and two but the Lions bounced back with a 28-26 win in the third set but the Golden Wolves took the fourth set by a score of 26-16 to secure the victory.
Alvernia got out to an early 4-1 lead in the first set before the Lions responded with a 6-1 scoring run to take a 7-5 lead.
The Golden Wolves grabbed two back to tie the set at seven thanks to a Cierra Roberts kill and a Patrica Falar assist.
The Golden Wolves then recorded a 6-2 scoring run of their own to grab a 13-9 lead midways through the first set. Roberts, Julianna McGlone and Presley Carnes all tallied kills during the run.
The Lions responded by scoring the next four points to tie the game at 13 but Alvernia responded with three straight points of its own to maintain a three point lead, 16-13.
Albright bounced right back with a 6-3 run to tie the game at 19 late in the set. Rachel Sipling hammered home a kill for Alvernia during the run.
The Golden Wolves then scored five of the next seven points to grab the lead at 24-21 thanks to a kill from Roberts and an ace from Falar.
Albright responded yet again with a scoring run, this one a 5-1 run that gave the Lions a 26-25 advantage late in the first set.
Alvernia bounced right back and scored five of the final seven points to take the first set 30-28. Roberts hammered home the set winning kill for the Golden Wolves and McGlone, Sipling and Jamie Pierce all tallied kills during the run.
Both the Golden Wolves and the Lions traded points back and forth to start the second set with Albright grabbing a four point, 10-6 lead.
The Golden Wolves grabbed two quick points back but the Lions also grabbed two quick ones to keep the lead at four, 12-8.
Alvernia then ripped off the next 12 of the next 13 points of the set to grab the lead and make it a 20-13 game. Roberts tallied two kills, Sipling added another and Presley Carnes and Roberts tallied two blocks during the run.
Both teams then traded points back and forth with the Golden Wolves still maintaining a 23-17 lead.
Albright then tallied four straight to make it a two point game, 23-21 but Alvernia recorded the final two points of the set thanks to back to back kills from McGlone to take the second set 25-21 and go up 2-0 in the match.
Alvernia continued to start out hot early in the third set by jumping out to a 7-4 lead after Pierce, McGlone and Roberts all tallied kills but the Lions then ripped off a 6-1 run to take a 10-8 lead.
The Golden Wolves then grabbed six of the next seven points to take a 14-11 lead. Sipling and Carnes tallied a block, Sipling hammered home a kill and McGlone also recorded a kill.
The Lions then responded with a 9-3 scoring run that saw them grab a three point, 20-17 lead late in the third set.
Both teams grabbed two points before the Golden Wolves ripped off five straight to make it a 24-22 game.
Albright finished off the third set by scoring six of the final eight points to take the third set 28-26 and make it a 2-1 contest overall.
Alvernia responded at the start of the fourth set by jumping out to an 8-4 lead early but the Lions grabbed a few points back to cut the lead to two, 10-8.
The Golden Wolves then rattled off five points in a row to make it 15-8 in the fourth set thanks to two aces from McGlone and kills from Sipling and Roberts.
The Lions then responded with a 7-1 scoring run of their own to cut the lead to one, 16-15 Golden Wolves.
Alvernia then bounced back by scoring nine of the final ten points of the set to take the fourth set 25-16 and secure the 3-1 victory. Sipling hammered home the match winning kill and Jordan Thompson tallied two aces during the run as well.
Roberts led the way for the Golden Wolves with 18 kills and added three assisted blocks. McGinley recorded 27 digs and Sipling tallied 24 digs, ten kills and two assisted blocks. Falar led with 30 assists and McGlone and Thompson both tallied two aces.
The Golden Wolves are back in action on Thursday when they travel to Delaware Valley to take on the Aggies at 7:00 PM.
