CLARION, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team lost in three sets to Clarion on the road Friday in a close 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 decision.
 
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division defeat drops The Rock's record to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in league matches while Clarion, which received votes in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-25 Poll, improves to 11-2 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC West.
 
On a night in which The Rock recorded 11 total blocks, all of which came via block assists, Mary Berger led the way with a career-best eight rejections. Offensively, SRU was paced by Erica Selfridge who posted 12 kills on a .250 attack percentage to go along with 10 digs for her team-leading sixth double-double of the season.
 
Chelsie Wheeler and Callie Chevalier added seven kills apiece with Chevalier also going for 14 digs, four blocks and one ace and Wheeler coming up with three blocks of her own.
 
Jaeden Yost assisted on 14 kills in addition to serving two aces while Kate Lachendro matched Chevalier for team-high honors in digs with 14.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top contributors Friday was Alayna Chizmar with four blocks and reigning PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week Lauren VonderHaar, who finished the match with three blocks and three kills.
 
The opening set was a narrow back-and-forth contest for its entire duration as neither team led by more than three points. With the set even at 15-15, Clarion was able to go on a 4-1 run that provided the Golden Eagles enough breathing room to trade points with SRU over the final stages of the set on the way to a 25-22 victory.
 
The second set began much the same as the first with neither team being able to gain much of an advantage until The Rock edged their way out to a three-point lead at 19-16. However, SRU was unable to close out the set as Clarion proceeded to record nine of the set's final 11 points en route to a 25-21 win.
 
Clarion seemed poised to run away with an easy third-set victory following a 12-6 run that pushed the Golden Eagles' lead out to a match-high five points at 19-14, but to their credit The Rock persevered and battled back to cut Clarion's deficit down to as little as one point on four separate occasions late.
 
However, the Golden Eagles were ultimately able to hold off the upset-minded Rock for a tight 25-23 match-deciding victory in the third set.  
 
Slippery Rock finished the contest with an 11-8 advantage over Clarion in total blocks while the Golden Eagles held edges over SRU in kills (49-34), attack percentage (.211-.138), aces (6-3) and digs (62-54).
 
Cassidy Snider, who ranks third in Division II in total kills, led Clarion with a 22-kill, 11-dig double-double.
 
Slippery Rock opens a season-long three-match homestand against Mercyhurst University 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Morrow Field House.






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