LATROBE, Pa (Sept. 7) – The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team defeated Mount Aloysius is three sets to win their fourth straight game to open the season.
 
The Bearcats controlled the match from the beginning, winning the three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-18, and 25-14.
 
Luciana Polk led the way for Saint Vincent with 11 kills, three service aces, and 11 digs, while also adding one block. Kaelyn Staples added nine kills, while picking up three blocks, and senior Carly Augustine had seven kills and a team best 14 assists.
 
It was a strong night for the Bearcats offensively. As a team Saint Vincent compiled 38 kills, eight service aces, and 34 assists. SVC was strong defensively too, as the Bearcats picked up nine blocks as a team, five of which came from Lindsey Kocjancic.
 
In the first set, Saint Vincent controlled from the very beginning. The Bearcats opened up to an 8-1 lead, forcing a timeout call by the Mounties. Mount Aloysius clawed their way back, but the Bearcats cutting the Saint Vincent lead to 15-11, but that's the closes they would get.
 
SVC responded with an 8-4 run, opening their lead back up to eight at 23-15. Mount Aloysius cut the lead once again to 24-20, but a kill by Augustine ended the set, giving the Bearcats the 25-20 set win.
 
It was much of the same story in the second set. Saint Vincent opened up to an 8-2 lead, continuing to control the match. The Mounties then went on their biggest run of the night at 10-3, as they took a 12-11 lead, forcing the Bearcats to call a timeout.
 
SVC responded, going on a 6-2 run to regain the lead at 17-14. Both teams traded the next few points as Saint Vincent still led 21-18. The Bearcats then closed out the set, with a quick 4-0 run with a kill and service ace by Polk, and two attack errors by Mount Aloysius, as the Bearcats took the set 25-18 and led in the match 2-0.
 
In the third set, the match went back and forth in the early portions of the set, with Saint Vincent holding a slight 6-5 lead. SVC then went on a 7-1 run, taking a 13-6 lead in the set.
 
The teams traded the next few points, as the Bearcats still held a commanding 18-10 lead in the set. The Bearcats continued to apply pressure, as they closed the match out on a 7-4 run, to take the set 25-14 and the match 3-0.
 
Saint Vincent had a .234 attack percentage compared to limiting Mount Aloysius to just a .036 attack percentage.
 
The Bearcats return to action on Friday when they travel to Case Western Reserve to play their first of three matches in the Case Western Tournament, against Buffalo State. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.