LATROBE, Pa (Sept. 3) – The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team closed out the Bearcat Challenge defeating both Penn State-Berks and Shenandoah University, finishing the tournament with a perfect 3-0 record.
 
The Bearcats dropped the first set in both matches but won three straight sets, to win each match in four sets, 3-1.
 
Saint Vincent 3, Penn State-Berks 1

After losing the first set, 25-23, Saint Vincent responded quickly winning the next three sets by scores of 25-17, 25-21, and 26-24.
 
Carly Augustine led the way for the Bearcats with a team-high 12 kills, while also picking up 14 assists and two service aces. Lindsey Kocjancic added eleven kills and Kaelyn Staples added ten kills. Freshman, Haley Stormer had six blocks in the win for Saint Vincent.
 
The game went back and forth for the majority of the first set, as the game was tied 16-16. The Nittany Lions then went on a quick 4-0 taking control of the set at 20-16. The Bearcats came storming back, with a 5-1 run, tying the set up at 21 all. PSU-Berks would win four of the next six points to take the first set.
 
In the second set, it was all Saint Vincent from the start. The Bearcats found themselves with a 16-9 lead, and never looked back. Both teams traded points the rest of the set, giving SVC the set at 25-17, evening up the match 1-1.
 
In the third set, both teams traded points back and forth, as the game was tied 11-11. The teams continued to go back and forth with the next several points as the set remained tied 17-17. Saint Vincent closed the set out on an 8-4 run (25-21), taking their first lead of the match at 2-1.
 
The fourth set was similar to the first set, as PSU-Berks controlled the early portion of the set, finding themselves with a 7-4 lead. SVC fought right back, going on a 11-2 run to take a 15-9 lead in the set. The Nittany Lions answered back with an 11-4 run of their own to take the lead 20-19.  Saint Vincent once again, clawed their way back, outscoring Berks 7-4, to take the set (26-24) and the match.
 
Saint Vincent 3, Shenandoah 1

Shenandoah took set one by a score of 25-17, but the Bearcats responded winning the next three sets by scores of 26-24, 25-23, and 25-20.
 
Luciana Polk led the way for the Bearcats with 18 kills. Augustine added eight kills and a team best in assists (16) and digs (18). Kocjancic also finished with six kills and three service aces in the win for the Bearcats.
 
It was all Shenandoah in the first set, as the Hornets found themselves with a 19-9 advantage over Saint Vincent. The Bearcats responded outscoring Shenandoah 8-6 in the final 14 points of the set, but it wasn't enough as the Hornets won the set (25-17), taking the early 1-0 advantage.
 
In set two, it was a similar start as set one, as the Hornets continued to control Saint Vincent, finding themselves with an 8-4 advantage. The Bearcats wouldn't go away as they scored a quick 4-0 run of their own, tying the set at 8-8. The teams continued to trade the next several points, as the set remained tied at 19 all. SVC continued with their momentum, as they score seven of the next 12 points, with three kills coming from Polk, winning the set (26-24) and tying the match up 1-1.
 
As the majority of the sets were, the match remained tightly fought in the third set. The Bearcats held a slight advantage at 9-8 after going back and forth with the Hornets early in the set. Saint Vincent then went on a 13-8 run taking a 22-16 lead in the set.
 
The Hornets quickly responded scoring the next five points, cutting the SVC lead to 22-21. Saint Vincent answered back, scoring three of the next five points to take the set (25-23) and the lead in the match 2-1.
 
Shenandoah once again controlled the early portion of the fourth set with an 11-5 lead. The Bearcats answered with an 8-1 run taking the lead at 13-12 and they wouldn't lose the lead the rest of the set. The Hornets kept it tight, but the closed the match out scoring the last three points on an attack error, a Polk kill, and a Kocjancic ace, winning the match 3-1.
 
Kocjancic and Polk were both named to the Bearcat Challenge All-Tournament team. Polk compiled 32 kills, 25 digs, and one service ace over the duration of the tournament. Kocjancic on the other hand, finished the tournament with 25 kills and six blocks.
 
The Bearcats will now get to enjoy a few days off, before they play host to Mount Aloysius on Wednesday, September 7. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center.