LATROBE, Pa (Sept. 29)- The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team hosted Franciscan in the Robert S. Carey Center, where the Bearcats came away with a 3-1 win.
 
Saint Vincent won the first set, 25-23. Franciscan took the second set, 25-23, and the Bearcats won the last two sets by scores of 25-20 and 25-22.
 
Luciana Polk led the way for SVC, scoring a team-high 12 kills, while racking up 27 digs and two assists. Lindsey Kocjancic tallied 11 kills and six digs for the Bearcats as well. Carly Augustine added seven kills and 10 digs, while Kaelyn Staples scored 10 kills and four digs in the win. Lauren Fox had five kills and Haley Stormer added three kills for Saint Vincent.
 
In the first set, it was a very back-and-forth match as the majority of the game was as well. The teams found themselves tied at 12-12, 15-15, and 18-18. Saint Vincent scored six of the next points after the game was tied 18-18, taking a 24-20 lead in the set. The Barons then scored three in a row to cut the SVC lead to 24-23, but a kill from Augustine ended the set, giving Saint Vincent the 1-0 advantage in the match.
 
It was very much the same story in the second set, as the Bearcats and Barons traded points and the game was once again tied at 11-11. SVC scored the next four points, taking a 15-11 lead in the set. Franciscan answered, scoring seven in a row, taking an 18-15 lead. The Bearcats would not go away, scoring eight of the next 13 points, taking a 23-22 lead in the set. The Barons once again countered, with a 3-0 run, taking the set 25-23, and tying the match 1-1.
 
In the third set, Franciscan controlled the early and middle portions of the set. After sustaining a slight lead throughout, the Barons opened their lead up to 17-12, destined to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Saint Vincent countered, scoring seven of the next eight points, tying the match up at 18-18. After a kill by Franciscan gave them a 19-18 lead, SVC once again answered, scoring four in a row, and seven of the last eight points to win the set 25-20, and take a 2-1 advantage in the match.
 
Saint Vincent carried the momentum into the fourth set. In a tight set early on, Franciscan held a slight 12-9 lead. SVC once again went on a run, this time a 4-0 run, taking a 13-12 lead and increased it to 16-14. After Franciscan tied it up at 17-17, the Bearcats went on another 4-0 run, taking a 21-17 lead. Franciscan outscored SVC 5-4 in the final nine points, but it wasn't enough as Saint Vincent won the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
 
The Bearcats had nine blocks in the match compared to just four from the Barons. As a team SVC compiled 49 kills, six service aces, and 92 digs.

Saint Vincent will remain at home when they return to action on Saturday, October 1, when they play host to Westminster. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center.