SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team took the opening set from Seton Hill University Friday night at Morrow Field House, but the Griffins rebounded by winning the next three sets to defeat The Rock, 3-1, in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition.
 
Slippery Rock (4-11, 1-2 PSAC West) jumped out to an impressive 25-14 win in the opening set before Seton Hill (7-6, 3-2 PSAC West) went on to register 25-22, 25-23, 25-19 victories over the next three games.
 
Mary Berger paced The Rock with a strong 11-kill, two-block effort. Berger, who was making her second consecutive start, finished the match with a .391 attack percentage. Erica Selfridge matched Berger with 11 kills of her own to go with a team-best three aces and 14 digs in the double-double effort.
 
Lauren Crytzer collected nine kills on a .375 attack percentage while also making two blocks defensively. Abigail Koeller chipped in six kills while Chelsie Wheeler came off the bench to post five kills over two sets.
 
Logan Whitaker finished just shy of a career-high in assists after setting up The Rock's attack with 43 Friday in addition to recording 16 digs, four kills and three blocks. Kate Lachendro, who served one ace, had a match-high 26 digs.
 
Slippery Rock controlled the vast majority of the opening set. Leading 17-12, The Rock closed out the set with a decisive 8-2 run. After trading points through the opening stages of the second set, Slippery Rock held a narrow 20-18 lead, but Seton Hill was able to rally by taking seven of the set's final nine points en route to a match-evening 25-22 victory.
 
SRU trailed 20-16 in the third set before going on a 6-1 spurt to jump ahead by one point and force a Seton Hill timeout. SHU proceeded to come out of the timeout to record four of the following five points to secure a two-point win.
 
The Rock and Griffins once again traded points in the early stages of the fourth set, but Seton Hill was able to open up a six-point lead at 15-9 that SRU could never quite overcome as the Griffins closed out the match via a 25-19 triumph in the fourth and final set.
 
For the match, Slippery Rock held advantages over the Griffins in attack percentage (.159-.145) and kills (50-46) while Seton Hill edged SRU in aces (5-4) and total blocks (4-3).
 
Paige Cole had a double-double of 18 kills and 15 digs to lead Seton Hill.
 
Slippery Rock closes out the weekend when it hosts California University (Pa.) 1 p.m. Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 


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