Elon Beats YSU in Four Sets

by YSU

Saturday, Sep 3, 2016 8:26 pm

Elon rode an efficient offense to a four-set victory over the Youngstown State volleyball team on Friday evening at Alumni Gym. The set scores were 25-23, 21-25, 25-11, 25-17.

The Phoenix hit .315 collectively and had eight aces in the four-set victory over the Penguins in the first match of the Tussle in the Triad Tournament.

Lori Vanbeek led Youngstown State with 14 kills in 28 attempts, and Sarah Varcolla and Sam Brown were next in line with nine kills apiece. Brown added a team-best 13 kills, and Dana Borsz notched 12. Youngstown State hit .436 in its second set win but just .114 in the other three sets.

Kayla Agae led Elon with a match-high 16 kills in 40 attempts.

Aleah Hughes had four kills for YSU in the first set that featured 19 ties and nine lead changes. A Vanbeek kill gave the Penguins their final lead at 22-21, and Hughes' kill tied the set at 23. Agae followed with a kill to set up set point, and Brown's attack error gave the Phoenix a 1-0 lead.

Youngstown State committed just one attack error in the second set as it posted a .436 attack percentage. Vanbeek had kills on six of her eight attempts, and one of her kills put YSU up 11-5 early. The Penguins' lead ballooned to seven twice, and the Phoenix never got closer than three.

Elon jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the third set as it won 25-11, and an 8-1 run early in the fourth set swung the momentum for the Phoenix. YSU led 6-4 after an attack error, but Elon scored eight of the next nine points to go up 12-7. YSU got no closer than four the rest of the night.

Youngstown State will play a pair of matches on Saturday, beginning with an 11:30 a.m. match at UNC Greensboro. The Penguins will then take on High Point at 7 p.m.