ERIE, Pa. - Two of the PSAC's most dominant teams collided in the Hammermill Center Friday night, and Gannon extended its winning streak to 11 while stopping Millersville's at four in four sets (25-18, 26-28, 25-11, 25-13).
The Marauders had won 13 of 14 entering the match, but Gannon won its 21st consecutive regular season match on its home floor. Millersville was one of just two teams to take a set from Gannon at the Hammermill Center this season.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The Marauders didn't make the match easy for the Golden Knights, but the home team had too much firepower, hitting .283 with 64 kills--the second-most recorded against the Marauders this season. Gannon's defense was also on point, holding the Marauders to a .121 hitting percentage, which was the second-lowest mark of the season.
• Millersville especially showed its fight in the second set when it rallied from down four three separate times. Trailing 17-13,
Jayci Suseland recorded two kills,
Chyna Gubbings added one, and
Rebecca Dalstad's ace evened the score. Gannon eventually pushed the lead to 24-20, but Millersville fought off the set point with an ace from
Samantha Miller and back-to-back blocks from
Carley Baughman. The Marauders extended the match again on kills from Baughman and
Katie Laughman, and put the 28-26 win away on a kill from Gubbings and an ace by Laughman.
• Millersville recorded 15 kills to just three errors and totaled six aces and three blocks in the second set.
• Gannon used its serve effectively in the third set, totaling seven aces, and its defense kept Millersville to just four kills. The Golden Knights then piled up 19 kills and a .400 hitting percentage in the clinching, fourth set win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Millersville managed eight service aces--its fifth consecutive match with at least seven. Millersville also totaled 10 blocks--the third-highest total of the season.
• Suseland led Millersville with 14 kills and a .244 hitting percentage.
Haley Butler and Gubbings both had four block assists.
• Four Marauders finished with double-digit digs. Laughman led the team with 20--her highest total since Oct. 15, 2016 when she played libero as a freshman.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH BRIAN SMITH
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On the team's effort: "We talked about the match and went over how we did. We know we faced a really good team. We went out and competed, and we kept working on the things they exposed in us. We had to keep working because hopefully it is a team that we might get to play them again later in the season. I was pleased we were able to come back in the first set and win the second."
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On the challenge of playing Gannon on the road: "It's hugely challenging. They are able to go out and recruit like a D1 program. They are very talented. They out-hit us, out-passed us. They are solid all the way around. Sometimes you can focus on one, two or three players but they have good players that can produce all over the floor. That gives everyone a one-on-one assignment and makes life much easier."
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On the team's improved blocking: "It has been a focus of ours. At the end of last year and the beginning of the year we were near the bottom of the conference. What is getting better is our blocking mechanics. We still have a non-traditional middle there, but we are definitely improving, and its an area we will continue to focus on throughout the year."
NOTES
• Laughman moved into third place on Millersville's career assists list, now with 2,686. She also moved up two spots to seventh in career digs, passing now-assistant coach
Erin Harman and Meredith Sinback with 1,207.
Kat Forry moved up to fifth with 1,280.
• Gannon improved to 16-2 all-time against the Marauders. Friday marked the first time Millersville has taken a set from Gannon since 2016.
• Gannon has played in and hosted the PSAC Championship game in three consecutive seasons, winning the title in 2016 while losing in five sets each of the last two.
UP NEXT
• Millersville drives across town to Mercyhurst and plays its third match in as many days Saturday. Match time is 2:05 p.m.
