Penn State Berks beats CHC spikers

by TOM UTESCHER

Last Tuesday night's volleyball bout at Chestnut Hill College pitted the Griffins against another squad that has been struggling below the .500 mark for much of the season, Penn State Berks County.

With extended rallies on many of the points, the match ran longer than many five-game affairs, but in the end the visiting Lady Lions won it in four rounds, 3-1. Visiting PSB improved to 4-11 on the season, while Chestnut Hill slipped to 8-18.

The opening game set the tone for the hard-fought match. Midway through, Chestnut Hill held a 15-12 edge, receiving three kills by Christine Corbo and two by Patricia Dewey, and a hit and a block by Jen Banks. After Penn State Berks later pulled even at 21-all, the score seesawed to 24-all and then two unreturned serves by Banks moved the hosts ahead 26-24.

A CHC serving error and two blocks by middle hitter Vanessa Powell let the Lions leapfrog ahead, then a miscue by the visitors tied the game again at 27-all. The Griffins' next serve didn't clear the net, however, and a scoring tip by Powell and a hit out of bounds by the home team gave the Lions a 30-27 win.

Spikes by Banks and Dewey and a tip by Lauren Jackson helped the hosts go up 7-2 at the start of game two, and later the Griffins led by almost the same margin at 18-14. Penn State went up 22-18 on an 8-0 run featuring three tandem blocks by Powell and Megan Leaver and two kills by Jennie Kropf. CHC closed to within one at 25-26, but Berks then finished out the game, 30-25, on an unreturned serve and kills by Kropf, Veronica Cruz, and Brittany Hueston.

Now with their backs against the wall, the Griffs gained a 6-2 advantage in the third game thanks to a hit by Dewey and five Berks blunders. Two serving errors and two other miscues by CHC got the Lions even at 6-6, and later the score was knotted at 11-all. Jen Toth's service ace just inside the baseline helped the locals edge ahead, 18-15, and three Corbo kills contributed to a 27-22 Chestnut Hill lead a few minutes later.

The visitors collected one more point, then a kill by Dewey recaptured the serve and sent Toth to the line. PSB hit into the net to make it 29-23, and on Toth's next serve the Lions hit the ball out over the left sideline for game point.

In the middle of the fourth game, the hosts were looking to even the match as they led 15-10. During one stretch they'd chalked up six straight points, including two kills by Corbo and one by Banks. The visitors then stepped up to make a pivotal 16-2 run that put them squarely in the driver's seat, 26-17. Contributing to the rally were eight Chestnut Hill errors and two kills apiece by Kropf and by Powell, who also scored on a block.

The Griffins only registered two more points, both on muffed serves by the Lions. A tip to open space by Leaver won the match point for the Lions.