INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University volleyball team was edged by Shippensburg 3-2 before winning its first match of the season over Mercyhurst, 3-1. The matches were played at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on the first day of the 2019 MEC-PSAC Crossover Tournament at the Walker Convocation Center.  

The Yellow Jackets move to 1-5 overall after the results of both contests. Meanwhile, the Raiders of Shippensburg improved to 4-0 and the Lakers of Mercyhurst fell to 4-1 after their games against WVSU.

Game 1 (West Virginia State vs. Shippensburg)

West Virginia State picked up an early lead after winning its first two sets 25-21 and 25-22. The Raiders battled back with narrow victories in the third and fourth sets, 25-23 and 28-26. By the fifth set, SU had the momentum and was able to win the final set decisively, 15-8.

Sophomore outside hitter Jenna Dufresne recorded a team-high 21 kills, while sophomore middle blocker Gabrielle Thompson posted a game-high 11 blocks.
Shippensburg was led by Emily Hangen with 61 assists and Samantha Webber with 24 kills.

The setup play and defense of the Raiders made the difference in the end. Shippensburg had 72 digs and 65 assists throughout the match, compared to 57 digs and 47 assists by WVSU.

Game 2 (West Virginia State vs. Mercyhurst)

West Virginia State came out strong with a 25-21 victory in the opening set. The Lakers then claimed the second set by a score line of 25-13. The third and fourth sets could've gone to either team, but the Yellow Jackets persevered and won both sets by a two-point margin, 25-23.

Junior libero Devon Putnam was pivotal in the win as she led all players with 24 digs. Thompson once again posted a game-high 11 blocks, while Dufresne led WVSU in kills for the second consecutive match with 14.

Mercyhurst's tag-team duo of Katie Bard (23 kills) and Mary Marusza (47 assists) was not able to overcome the triumphant Yellow Jackets.

West Virginia State made 22 errors compared to 33 errors by the Lakers. The ability to avoid making mistakes in crucial moments was what ultimately propelled WVSU to victory.

The Yellow Jackets will play at the Walker Convocation Center tomorrow for the second day of the 2019 MEC-PSAC Crossover Tournament. Their first game will be against Shepherd at 1 p.m. before they wrap up the tournament with a 7 p.m. match versus Slippery Rock.