Sept. 20, 2009
Guins Play Well Again But Suffer Another Five-Set Loss at Pitt
Pittsburgh -- The Youngstown State volleyball team played another solid match on Sunday at the Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament, but the Penguins came up just short for the second time in seven hours.
The Penguins got 16 kills from Ruth Boscaljon and 14 each from sophomores Brittany Grove and Kelsi Bitter in their five-set loss to the host Pittsburgh Panthers. YSU rebounded from a 25-18 loss in the first set to win the next two 27-25 and 25-20. Pitt used a 7-0 run midway through the fourth to win 25-21, and the Panthers hit .500 in the finale to win 15-8.
YSU finished with 12 blocks in the match, adding to the 14 it had in a five-set loss to UMES in a match earlier on Sunday. Boscaljon had 15 kills in that match and finished with 31 on the day to earn all-tournament team honors. Boscaljon also had a career-high 10 blocks against the Panthers to earn her first career double-double.
Grove also had 14 kills against UMES, which was double her previous career high.
Meagan Dooley had 22 kills to lead five Panthers with at least 10 kills. Tournament MVP Michelle Rossi had 31 digs for Pitt.
YSU did not trail in the first set until Pitt went on an 11-2 run to turn a 10-8 deficit into a 19-12 lead. The Penguins did the rallying in the second set, turning a 14-9 deficit into a 19-17 lead on a Boscaljon kill. Pitt scored seven straight points to go up 24-19, but YSU staved off five set points and scored eight of the final nine points. Six of those points came on Pittsburgh attack errors.
The Penguins hit an impressive .538 in the third set, getting 21 of their 25 points on kills. Boscaljon had six, and Grove, Bitter and Allison Heinz had four apiece.
Pittsburgh trailed 5-1 in the fourth set before a 7-2 run gave them a lead it would not relinquish. After YSU tied the fifth set 1-1, the Panthers scored four straight points to go up 5-1, and YSU could not get closer than two the rest of the way.
Freshman setter Angela Roidt turned in career highs with 49 assists and 12 digs. Laurie Shives added 19 digs, matching the 19 she had against UMES.
Youngstown State will resume Horizon League action on Friday against Loyola. First serve against the Ramblers at Beeghly Center is set for 7 p.m.