LATROBE, Pa. (Aug. 31)- The Saint Vincent women's volleyball team split a doubleheader during the final day of the Bearcat Challenge to open the 2024 season.
 
The Bearcats (2-2) cruised through their opening match of the day with a 3-0 sweep of Hollins University, before falling to Franciscan in five sets, 3-2.
 
Game 1- Saint Vincent 3, Hollins 0
Saint Vincent controlled from start to finish during their first game of the day, winning in straight sets by scores of 25-22, 25-17, and 25-15, defeating Hollins University.
 
Just as she did on the first night of the Bearcat Challenge, Kaelyn Staples-Klasnic led the way with 12 kills, while also picking up seven digs as well. Vivian Poach and Lauren Fox both added six kills for SVC as well.
 
Stacie Ramos once again recorded double-digit digs with 15 and Meegan Williams added 11 digs and three service aces for the Bearcats. Madie Eagler was solid for Saint Vincent as well with 11 assists and four service aces.
 
Sani Jones also had double-digit assists with ten for the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats led in every major statistical category with 32 kills, eight blocks, 28 assists, and 54 digs. Hollins on the other hand had 19 kills, three blocks, 18 assists, and 42 digs.
 
It was all SVC from the opening set. The Bearcats quickly opened up to a 13-3 lead. Hollins made a late comeback attempt in the set, tying it up at 22-22, before Saint Vincent ended the set with two consecutive kills and a Hollins attack error to win the opening set (25-22), taking a 1-0 lead.
 
After trailing 8-6 early in the second set, the Bearcats outscored Hollins 19-9 the rest of the way, once again ending the set with a kill from Staples-Klasnic and attack error from Hollins. The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead after their set two (25-17) win.
 
In the third set, Saint Vincent quickly opened up to a 9-1 lead and never looked back. The Bearcats went on to score six of the final eight points to win the set (25-15) and the match, 3-0.
 
Game 2- Franciscan 3, Saint Vincent 2
It was the Barons who came out victorious over the Bearcats in the final match of the day for both teams. SVC won the first and fourth set, while Franciscan won the second, third, and decisive fifth set to clinch the win.
 
Staples-Klasnic picked up right where she left off in game one, recording 11 kills and 15 digs. Poach added ten more kills and Meegan Williams picked up nine kills.
 
Ramos tallied 24 more digs, while Williams added 11. Madie Eagler led the Bearcats with 20 assist, while Poach added 13 and Lauren Fox totaled three blocks for SVC as well.
 
The Bearcats had ten service aces in comparison to seven by the Barons and also led blocks 6-4. Franciscan recorded 115 digs, 56 assists, and 58 kills. Saint Vincent on the other hand had 43 kills, 43 assists, and 99 digs in the loss.
 
The Bearcats won the opening set 25-20, before Franciscan controlled the next two sets, winning them 25-16 and 25-17 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Saint Vincent forced the fifth set after winning set four 25-21, including scoring five of the final seven points in the set. It was all Franciscan in the fifth and decisive set as they cruised to a 15-6 win to win the match 3-2.
 
The Bearcats will enjoy a few days off before packing their bags and heading to La Verne, California for three non-conference matches out west. They will take on Occidental College in the first of those three matches on Friday, September 6 at 9 a.m. PDT/12 p.m. EDT.
 
They will then compete against Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday, September 7. Those matches are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT and 2:30 p.m. PDT/5:30 p.m. EDT respectively.