WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team split a pair of three-set matches Friday at the Mountain East Conference-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Crossover in West Liberty, West Virginia.
 
The Rock opened the day by defeating host West Liberty University (25-19, 25-22, 25-22) before losing to West Virginia State University (26-24, 25-14, 25-18).
 
The split moves SRU's record to 6-4 on the year while West Liberty dropped to 3-7 and WVSU improved to 6-5.
 
Erica Selfridge totaled 17 kills and 21 digs over the two matches to lead The Rock. The trio of Chelsie Wheeler (12), Callie Chevalier (11) and Aslyn Pry (10) all notched double-digit kill marks on the day as well with Pry also being responsible for five blocks. Setter Jaeden Yost distributed 35 assists and served a pair of aces Friday.
 
Libero Kate Lachendro-Biery (25) and Kara Pasquale (20) both joined Selfridge in reaching the 20-dig plateau over the two matches as well.
 
ROCK 3 – HILLTOPPERS 0
Set Scores: 25-19, 25-22, 25-22
 
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• As it has been for the majority of the season, Slippery Rock's defense was once again sound in match one of the MEC-PSAC Crossover. SRU limited West Liberty to a .109 attack percentage thanks in part to forcing the Hilltoppers into 20 attack errors.
 
• For the seventh time this year, Selfridge finished with team-high honors in kills after a 10-kill, 10-dig, one-ace double-double.
 
• Wheeler and Pry aided Selfridge on the attack by combining to register 17 kills on a collective .500 attack percentage. Wheeler accounted for nine kills and Pry added a season-high eight in addition to one block.
 
• Chevalier and Lauren VonderHaar chipped in five kills apiece while Yost guided the offense with 21 assists, supplemented by Brooke Farrah's 13 assists, to round out The Rock's offensive leaders.
 
• Defensively, Lachendro-Biery led all athletes with a match-high 20 digs. Not only did Pasquale serve an ace for fifth consecutive match, she also racked up a season-high 13 digs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rock and Hilltoppers played to a 12-12 tie in the first set before a mini 3-0 SRU run gave Slippery Rock a lead it would never relinquish in the eventual 25-19 match-opening set. Selfridge collected four kills early on while The Rock limited West Liberty to a .087 attack percentage.
 
Slippery Rock's 25-22 wire-to-wire win in the second set saw SRU claim 11 of the game's opening 17 points and while West Liberty was able to climb to within two points of The Rock on seven occasions it could never complete the comeback in Slippery Rock's three-point win.
 
SRU found itself in an early 8-4 hole in the third set before The Rock answered back in the form of a 6-2 spurt to pull even with the Hilltoppers at 10-10. SRU and WLU proceeded to battle out to a 22-22 tie heading into the set's waning stages.
 
The Rock proceeded to close out their third sweep of the season by capturing the final three points via Pry's eighth kill of the match followed by back-to-back West Liberty attack errors which ended the contest and dropped the host's hitting percentage in the set to -.023.
 
YELLOW JACKETS 3 – ROCK 0
Set Scores: 26-24, 25-14, 25-18
 
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Slippery Rock lost in three sets for only the second time this year after West Virginia State held advantages in kills (47-27), attack percentage (.275-.087), digs (64-43) and total blocks (8-7).
 
• Selfridge and Chevalier were responsible for half of The Rock's kills in the setback with seven and six, respectively.
 
• Kaitlyn Danszczak achieved four kills of her own on an efficient .231 attack percentage.
 
• SRU closed the match with six aces, highlighted by two-ace showings from Yost and VonderHaar in addition to one each by Lachendro-Biery and Marley Annis, who was making her collegiate debut.
 
• Pry gave SRU her second-highest block total of the season with four rejections (two solo / two assisted).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Slippery Rock took the opening four points from the Yellow Jackets only for WVSU to rally with a run of its own, resulting in an 8-8 tie. From there, The Rock and Yellow Jackets traded points before SRU edged its way out to a 20-17 advantage.
 
However, Slippery Rock was unable to finish off the opener. West Virginia State overcame the deficit, and ultimately took the set, thanks to a deceive 9-4 set-finishing run to polish off a 26-24 win.
 
A comeback was not to be for The Rock in the nightcap as WVSU went on to record 25-14 and 25-18 victories over the next two sets to earn the three-set decision.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock moves to Wheeling, West Virginia Saturday for matches against the host Cardinals (11 a.m.) and Fairmont State (4:30 p.m.) on day two of the PSAC-MEC Crossover.
 
 


To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official Athletic Communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).