SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team earned an impressive five-set victory over Kutztown University in non-conference competition Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock (5-19) took the first two sets from Kutztown (6-14) 25-19, 25-15 before the Golden Bears battled back to force a fifth set with 25-22 and 25-19 wins. However, SRU kept its composure after dropping the consecutive sets and in turn pulled off a 16-14 comeback victory in the deciding game.
 
The Rock's chances of earning a hard-fought victory seemed bleak at the start of the fifth set as Kutztown carried over its momentum from winning the third and fourth sets by jumping out to an 10-5 lead.
 
However, SRU showed great perseverance and proceeded to go on a 5-1 run which cut Kutztown's lead to just one point at 11-10 and forced KU to take at timeout. The run featured aces from Lauren Weber and Taylor Fellers as well as a kill by Erica Selfridge.

VB: ICYMI, Slippery Rock picked up a well-earned victory over Kutztown in five sets (25-19,25-15,22-25,19-25,16-14) yesterday. Check out these highlights from the win: pic.twitter.com/v99tiwAQAY

— Rock Athletics (@Rock_Athletics) October 24, 2021

Slippery Rock and Kutztown went on to trade points out of the break with the Golden Bears eventually eking out a 14-13 advantage and causing SRU to take a timeout of its own.
 
The Rock were brilliant out of the timeout as SRU quickly captured three straight points to finish off the set, and the match, 16-14. The final three points included an ace by Peytan Gullickson and a pair of Kutztown miscues.
 
Slippery Rock was exceptional at the service line Saturday, as five players combined for 14 aces; SRU's fourth-highest total over the last 13 years. Weber and Gullickson had four apiece, Kate Lachendro produced three while Fellers served two and Selfridge tallied one.
 
Alyana Chizmar played arguably the best match of her collegiate career as the junior finished the contest with career-highs of 16 kills and four blocks.
 
Selfridge posted her third straight double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs. Mary Berger had eight kills while the duo of Abigail Koeller and Lauren Crytzer posted seven kills apiece with Chelsie Wheeler chipping in five.
 
Fellers and Gullickson guided the attack with 29 and 18 assists each. Fellers also made a team-high 21 digs.
 
The Rock's defensive effort featured 11 total blocks. Crytzer led the group with a career-high six rejections. Berger was right behind her fellow middle hitter with five blocks followed by Chizmar (4), Koeller (3) and Wheeler (2).
 
Lachendro capped off what was a complete team victory by making 20 digs for her 13th match of the year with at least 20 digs.
 
Slippery Rock held advantages over Kutztown in attack percentage (.167-.161), aces (14-3) and total blocks (11-7) while the Golden Bears had a 62-58 advantage in kills. Erin Patterson recorded 23 kills for KU.
 
Saturday's game also served as The Rock's annual Dig for the Cure match. SRU raised money for the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition through donations, raffles, a bake sale and a serving contest.
 
SRU will play on the road at Seton Hill University for a mid-week PSAC West match 7 p.m. Oct. 26.
 
 

 
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