LATROBE, Pa. (Sept. 24)- After trailing 2-1, the Bearcats stormed back to win the next two sets defeating Penn State-Altoona 3-2 in the season opener at the Bearcat Challenge.
 
Luciana Polk was dominant for the Bearcats during her career night. She tallied a career-high 24 kills, which is good for third most in program history in a single game. Polk also recorded 21 kills and one assist in the win as well.
 
Kaelyn Staples also had a career night for SVC, recording a career-high 20 kills, while also scooping up 18 digs and dishing out two assists.

Freshman Anna Grandas contributed as well, tallying nine kills with 12 digs. Stacie Ramos picked up a game-high 28 digs, while Sani Jones recorded 19 digs. Camryn Berdysz added six kills and Jessica Hughes added four in the win.
 
Emma Harclerode was clutch off the bench for the Bearcats, picking up two service aces in the season opening win as well.
 
The teams split the first several points of the first set as the score was tied 12-12. Penn State-Altoona took the first separation of the night going on a quick 4-1 run to take a 16-13 lead and further increased that lead to 23-16 as they had full control, but the Bearcats answered.
 
Saint Vincent went on an 4-1 run to cut the lead to 24-20 and scored the next six points in the set to win the set. The Bearcats scored the final six points on three attack errors by the Lions with two service aces from Grandas mixed in to win the set 26-24 and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Similar to the first set, the teams went back-and-forth in the beginning of set two as well, as the score was 12-12 once again halfway through the set. That's when Altoona took control, ending the set on a 13-6 run to win set two, 25-18, evening the match up at 1-1.
 
In set three, it was Saint Vincent who took the early lead at 6-3 after a kill from Staples, followed by two attack errors by the Lions. The Lions stormed back, going on a 17-8 run to take a commanding 20-14 lead in the set.
 
The Bearcats cut the lead to 21-18 but Altoona outscored the Bearcats 4-3 to win set three, 25-21, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
In set four, it was all Saint Vincent from the jump. SVC opened up to a 15-6 lead after another kill from Polk and never looked back as they cruised to a 25-18 set win to force a fifth set. Polk had six kills in the set for the Bearcats.
 
The SVC momentum held strong in the fifth and decisive set as they held the Lions to just three points, outscoring them 15-3 to win the match, 3-2. Polk opened the set up with three straight kills, while Staples and Grandas each added a couple more to give the Bearcats a 9-1 lead in the set.
 
Staples then recorded two of the final three points, picking up two more kills to seal the deal for SVC, beginning the season with a comeback win.
 
The Bearcats led every major statistical category. They tallied 64 kills, seven service aces, 62 assists, and 100 digs over the course of the win.
 
Lacee Barnhart led the way for Altoona, picking up 14 kills. Abigail Brinker tallied 19 assists and Anna Batrus recorded 26 digs in the loss for the Lions.
 
The Bearcats return to action with a doubleheader, tomorrow (September 2), when they take on Gallaudet University and PAC foe, Westminster to close out the Bearcat challenge. SVC will take on the Bison at 1 p.m. and will follow against the Titans at 3 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center.