Sept. 12, 2009

Guins Go Overtime in First Two Sets Before Falling to Buffalo

Box Score

Buffalo, N.Y. -- Ruth Boscaljon had 11 kills, and three more players had seven as Youngstown State put up a strong fight in a three-set loss to Buffalo on Saturday at Alumni Arena.

The Penguins improved from their three-set loss to the Bulls on Friday evening. The Penguins extended the first two sets before falling 27-25 in each, and the Bulls won the final set 25-19.

Nine of Boscaljon's kills came in the final two sets. Brittany Grove had career highs with seven kills and nine digs, Laurie Shives had 15 digs and the Penguins registered  nine blocks.

Dani Silvers had a match-high 15 kills to lead three Bulls finishing in double digits.

Neither team led by more than two in the first set until Buffalo went on a 5-1 run to go ahead 23-19. YSU then scored five straight points to take a 24-23 lead and have its first set point of the weekend. Silvers' sixth kills of the set knotted the score at 24-24 after a time out, and the Bulls went on to win 27-25 on Marisa Horbaker's kill.

Buffalo scored five straight points to go ahead 12-8 in the second set, and YSU rebounded to tie the score at 15 after three straight hitting errors by the Bulls. Buffalo built a 24-21 lead before YSU scored three straight points - the final on a block by Boscaljon and Tasha Reid - to tie the score at 24-24. After Reid tied the score again at 25, Silvers and Hornbaker had back-to-back kills to give Buffalo the win.

The Bulls used a four-point run late in the third set to win 25-19. Haley Kapferer's kill made the score 17-16 Buffalo, but three YSU hitting errors and a Buffalo kill put the Bulls ahead 21-16.

The Penguins will play their Horizon League and home opener against Butler on Thursday at 7 p.m.