PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Sept. 7)- The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by La Roche in their first road game of the 2023 season.
 
Saint Vincent fell in the first set 25-22, before losing the second set 30-28, and the third set 25-23.
 
Luciana Polk led the Bearcats with 11 kills, while also adding 20 digs as well. Stacie Ramos picked up a game-high 29 digs, while Kaelyn Staples added 21 digs and seven kills as well. Lauren Fox recorded nine kills and a game-high four blocks as well.
 
Madie Eagler led the match with 20 assists. Sani Jones added 12 assists in the loss for SVC as well.
 
The Bearcats fell behind 3-1 early in the first set but battled right back after an attack error by the Redhawks and a service ace by Ramos allowed SVC to tie the set up 3-3. La Roche answered with a 5-1 run to take an 8-4 lead, but once again Saint Vincent answered the run.
 
The Bearcats went on a 4-1 run to cut the Redhawks lead to 9-8. The teams went back-and-forth over the next several points as La Roche still held a slight 19-18 lead before increasing their lead to 21-18. Once again the Bearcats battled back after kills by Fox and Polk mixed between an attack error by La Roche allowed SVC to tie the set up 21-21 and then 22-22.
 
The Redhawks went on to score the final three points of the set to win the set (25-22) taking a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In the second set, the teams traded the first several points as the set was tied 12-12 and then 15-15. SVC then went on their biggest run of the set at 6-1 to take a 20-16 lead but La Roche answered. The Redhawks scored the next six points to take a 22-20 lead.
 
SVC scored four of the next five to regain the lead at 24-23 but La Roche tied it up at 24-24 and then 25-25. The teams traded the next couple of points as the set continued tied at 28-28 before the Redhawks scored the final two points to win the second set (30-28), taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
The third set was similar to the first two sets as both teams traded the first several points as the set at 10-10, 14-14, and 20-20. La Roche gained advantage taking a 23-21 lead but after kills from Fox and Staples the Bearcats tied it up at 23-23. La Roche close the match out scoring the final two points to win the third set (25-23) to clinch the sweep.
 
SVC recorded 41 kills compared to the Redhawks 36 kills. The Bearcats also recorded more blocks (6), assists (38), and digs (96) than La Roche did despite falling short in the match.
 
Kalli Grine led the way for La Roche with 12 kills. Quinne Hughes added eight kills and Lauren Tomasko recorded seven kills for the Redhawks as well. Madison Johnson recorded 16 assists and Morgan Johnson had a team-high 22 digs in the win for La Roche.
 
The Bearcats look to get back on track when they play host to Washington and Jefferson on Wednesday, September 13. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center.