PENN STATE ALTOONA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO NO.1 JUNIATA IN NCAA REGIONAL

The Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team made its third NCAA postseason appearance in program history on Thursday night, when the Lions faced No. 1 Juniata College in the first round of this week's NCAA Division III Tournament regional at Memorial Gymnasium.

Juniata (30-0) posted a sweep to advance to the next round, winning in three sets by scores of 25-10, 25-13, and 25-19. Penn State Altoona (16-11) is eliminated from the postseason with its loss.

Lacee Barnhart had a team-high seven points for Penn State Altoona on seven kills, and she also finished with 10 digs. Lia Simanski had six points on six kills to go along with six digs, and Makenna Port tallied 4.5 points on four kills and a block assist.

Julia Emel totaled 11 assists, and she also finished with nine digs, one service ace, and one block assist. Abigail Brinker chipped in six assists.

Anna Batrus tied for the match-high in digs with 17.

Juniata grabbed a lead early in the first set, but Penn State Altoona stayed within two points, thanks to a setting error by the Eagles and a Simanski kill. But the home team reeled off a 9-0 run to turn its 4-2 advantage into a 13-2 lead. Down 18-4, the Lions capitalized on four Juniata errors in the span of five points to make it 19-8. But the Eagles went on to take the first set by 15 points, 25-10.

Penn State Altoona scored the first two points of the second set, jumping out to 2-0 lead after a Juniata attack error and Emel's ace. Three Juniata points later, Barnhart's kill tied the score at 3-3. After the Eagles went on another run to claim a lead, kills by Karlie Feathers, Simanski, and Port helped keep the Lions within six, 15-9, midway through the set. Barnhart scored another kill to make it 17-10, and the Lions got a pair of kills late in the set from Simanski, but Juniata still won the second set by 12 points, 25-13.

The Lions worked their way out to a lead in the third set. Trailing 3-1, Penn State Altoona went on a 5-0 run to stake out a 6-3 lead, getting two kills from Simanski, one from Port, and a Taylor Myers ace during that span. Another Port kill set the Lions' lead at 8-6. But Juniata quickly turned the tables, reeling off a 12-1 run to leap in front, 18-9. Down 23-12 later in the set, Penn State Altoona used a 7-1 run to narrow the gap to five points, 24-19. The run was helped by a duo block from Emel and Port, along with kills from Port and Barnhart. But Juniata ended the run to score the match-clinching point, ending the set at 25-19.