LATROBE, Pa. (Sept. 2)- The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team fell 3-0 to Gallaudet University in the concluding game of the Bearcat Challenge.
 
Luciana Polk and Kaelyn Staples led the way for SVC, both picking up eight kills in the loss for the Bearcats. Camryn Berdysz added six kills in the loss for Saint Vincent as well.
 
Staples also recorded a team-high 18 digs, while Polk picked up 16 digs as well. Stacie Ramos recorded 17 digs and Sani Jones picked up double-digit digs with 14 for the Bearcats.
 
In the first set it was back-and-forth early on as the score was tied at 12-12. The Bison recorded three of the next five points to take a slight 15-14 lead over the Bearcats. Gallaudet then went on a 6-0 run to take a commanding 21-14 lead in the opening set.
 
Polk added a kill and the Bearcats capitalized on a service error and attack error late in the set, but it wasn't enough as the Bison pulled away with a 25-18 first set win to take a 1-0 lead.
 
It was a very similar start in set two as the teams traded the opening points with Gallaudet holding a slight 15-12 advantage. But it was the Bearcats who gained the momentum as they went on a quick 5-0 run to take a 17-15 lead. Three of those five points came on kills by Polk, with a kill by Alexis DiFuccia thrown in as well.
 
Gallaudet answered to tie it up 17-17 but Saint Vincent one again went on a small 3-0 run, capitalizing on back-to-back attack errors by the Bison and a kill by Jessica Hughes as SVC took a 20-17 lead. The Bearcats momentum fell short as the Bison closed out the set on an 8-2 run to win the set 25-22, taking a 2-0 lead.
 
In the third set, it was all Bison to open the match as they led 6-1 and then 12-5, but the Bearcats wouldn't go down without a fight. SVC stormed back with a 10-1 run to take a 15-13 lead but Gallaudet rebounded after a timeout. The Bison closed out the match on a 12-4 run to win the final set 25-19 and the match 3-0.
 
The Bearcats conclude the Bearcat Challenge with a 1-1 record, while Gallaudet finished with a 3-1 record overall.
 
Cassidy Perry led the way for the Bison with a game-high 11 kills. Ella Gamble recorded 35 assists and Anya Phothorski recorded nine kills in the win for Gallaudet.
 
Saint Vincent returns to action with a non-conference home matchup against Penn State-Shenango on Tuesday, September 5. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center on Tuesday.