Box Score
PITTSBURGH -- Point Park University volleyball finished off visiting WVU Tech in three sets of a River States Conference match Friday night inside the Student Center Gym. The Pioneers pulled away to take the opening set, 25-15, held off the Golden Bears in the second, 25-21, and rallied to avoid a fourth set in the clincher, 27-25.
With the win, the Pioneers improved to 8-3 overall and 2-0 RSC. They continue their conference home weekend on Saturday at 12 p.m. versus Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College.
Point Park's offense tallied 47 kills compared to just 23 for WVU Tech (3-12, 0-1 RSC). Madison Sima pounded out a team-high 15 kills. She got 27 attempts and hit .333 for the match. Fellow outside hitter Stephanie Rivera-Pacheco produced 13 kills and hit .440 as Point Park's top two guns provided 28 of the 47 kills.
Middle hitter Melissa Schroeder had an effective match at the net with six kills and seven blocks. Giulia Follador contributed six kills as well.
The Pioneers had three different setters reach double figures in assists. Rotating in were Star Lakin and Ashlynn Gulakowski with 14 each and Elise Wallace with 11. Wallace added seven digs.
Point Park had 40 digs in the three sets with 11 different players combining for that total. The Pioneers had 14 players see action with plenty of hitters, setters and back-row players getting a chance on the night. Ashley Castelli had the libero jersey and led the team with eight digs.
There were also seven players who combined for 16 block assists. WVU Tech did not have much room with a hitting percentage of .080 for the match.
WVU Tech led in the first set, 12-11, before a thunderous kill by Rivera-Pacheco swung the momentum Point Park's way. It was the first point in a 14-3 run to end the set.
The second set was tied at 17-17 when Megan Bologna came up with a big kills. Castelli followed with an ace for some more separation. Sima had two kills in a row to move within set point at 24-21.
WVU Tech managed a 16-12 lead in the third. The Golden Bears maintained a lead of a couple of points until the Pioneers were able to pull even at 22-22 and later 24-24.
Point Park did face a set point down 25-24, but Schroeder knotted the match with a big kill. Schroeder and Sima combined on a block to give Point Park a match point directly after that. Rivera-Pacheco put down the final point, a hot shot to the corner from her back row.
