Oct. 24, 2006

Final Stats

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Jen Blasko recorded a team-high 24 kills and nine digs Tuesday night in a losing effort as The Rock dropped a 3-2 decision to visiting Indiana U. of Pa. in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action in Morrow Field House.

The Rock (28-7, 5-4 PSAC-W) won the first two games by 30-28 and 30-24 scores before Indiana (16-12, 3-6 PSAC-W) bounced back to win the final three games and ruin SRU's Senior Night festivities.

The visitors won Game 3 by a 30-21 score, followed that up with a 30-22 win and then finished off the comeback with a 15-9 victory in the fifth and final game.

Katie Greco had 14 kills, four service aces and nine digs to complement Blasko's effort, while Andrea Campbell added 12 kills and seven digs and Sara Kirsch had 53 assists, 11 kills, 11 digs and three service aces.

Gwen Oberlin led The Rock in digs with 21. Caitlin Hubbard and Emily Sandora each added 11 digs. Sandora also had six assists.

Louise Schultz and Jenn Scott tied for the team lead in blocks with four each.

Tuesday's game was the final home contest for five Rock seniors: Greco, Hubbard, Kirsch, Oberlin and Sandora.

The Rock closes out its regular-season schedule Saturday at Clarion (2 p.m.), then turns its focus to the PSAC playoffs.

SRU is assured of the No. 3 seed from the PSAC-West and will meet the No. 2 team from the PSAC-East in opening-round action Nov. 3 in Lock Haven.

Lock Haven (26-5, 8-1 PSAC-W) clinched the PSAC-West regular-season title with a 3-0 win over California (25-5, 6-3 PSAC-W) on Tuesday.

California is assured of second place by virtue of its earlier win over Lock Haven, which defeated The Rock twice this fall. The Rock and California split a pair of matches this fall.

Lock Haven, as the top seed from the West, will receive a first-round bye and meet the winner of a first-round game between The Rock and the No. 2 seed from the East.

The PSAC-East regular-season champion will also receive a first-round bye and will meet the winner of the California vs. PSAC-East #3 match in semifinal action.

The Rock will be making its first appearance in the PSAC playoffs since 1994, when SRU claimed runner-up honors.