FAIRMONT, W. Va. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team split two matches Saturday at the Fairmont State Classic in Fairmont, West Virginia. 
 
Following a four-set (19-25, 26-24, 25-14, 25-22) loss to Lenoir-Rhyne University to begin the day, The Rock responded with a four-set (25-22, 25-20, 17-25, 25-17) victory of their own over host Fairmont State University to close the opening weekend of the season with a 3-1 record for the second time in the last three years.
 
Slippery Rock featured a well-balanced performance Saturday with several key standouts.
 
Erica Selfridge produced 28 kills on a .221 attack percentage over the two matches alongside five aces. Callie Chevalier nearly matched her teammate with 23 kills of her own. 
 
The Rock's middle hitter tandem of Lauren VonderHaar and Aslyn Pry was once again impressive. VonderHaar not only tallied 14 total blocks, but also had 10 kills. Meanwhile, Pry chipped in 14 kills on an efficient .333 attack percentage all the while posting five blocks.
 
Setter Jaeden Yost gave The Rock 51 assists via a pair of 20+-assist matches. Paityn Krause contributed 32 assists as well. 
 
Libero Kate Lachendro-Biery rounded out the top contributors on the day with 50 digs to up her season total to 78 which pushes the senior all the way up to fourth place in program history for digs in a career with 1,730. 
 

For their efforts over the entire weekend Selfridge was named the 2024 Fairmont State Classic MVP and Lachendro-Biery earned All-Tournament Team honors. 

LRU 3 – ROCK 1
Set Scores: 19-25, 26-24, 25-14, 25-22
 
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Selfridge (13 ills / 14 digs) and Chevalier (10 kills / 12 digs) each had double-doubles while Selfridge served a career-high five aces.
 
• Kaitlyn Danszczak (8), Aslyn Pry (7) and Chelsie Wheeler (6) supplemented  The Rock's attack with over five kills apiece while Yost distributed 25 assists.
 
• VonderHaar and Lachendro-Biery spearheaded SRU's defensive efforts as VonderHaar registered five blocks and Lachendro-Biery made a match-high 28 digs. 
 
• LRU held advantages over The Rock in kills (54-51), attack percentage (.200-.141) and total blocks (10-7). 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Slippery Rock captured the opening set thanks to an outstanding start in which SRU took 11 of the set's opening 12 points. While Lenoir-Rhyne trimmed The Rock's advantage to as little as three points late, SRU was able to hang on for a 25-19 victory.
 
However, the remainder of the match belonged to Lenoir-Rhyne. SRU held leads in all three of the remaining sets, but the Bears ultimately earned close 26-24 and 25-22 wins in the second and fourth sets sandwiched around a 25-14 victory in the third to pull out a match victory. 

ROCK 3 – FSU 1
SET SCORES: 25-22, 25-20, 17-25, 25-17
 
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Selfridge went for her second double-double in as many matches courtesy of a 15-kill, 14-dig outing. Chevalier joined Selfridge with a double-digit kill match of her own, finishing with 13 on a .278 attack percentage.
 
• VonderHaar totaled nine blocks, one rejection shy of her career-high, and seven kills. Wheeler matched her personal-best block total with seven in addition to six kills. Pry had a productive match up front by compiling seven kills and four blocks.   
 
• Yost once again directed The Rock's attack to the tune of 26 assists, just missing a double-double with nine digs. 
 
• Lachendro-Biery took home team-high honors in digs with 22.
 
• Slippery Rock finished off the win holding advantages over FSU in kills (55-47), attack percentage (.182-.106) and blocks (13-7).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rock and Fighting Falcons traded points for the majority of the opening set, playing to a 21-21 tie before SRU earned four of the final five points of the set on the way to a 25-22 win. 
 
Slippery Rock withstood another late Fairmont State run in the second set thanks to an early 17-7 advantage for an eventual 25-20 win. 
 
Following a 25-17 loss in the third set, Slippery Rock quickly rebounded in the fourth with a commanding 5-1 run to begin what turned out to be the match-deciding set. 
 
As was the case in the opening two sets, FSU once again made a run to avoid a sizable defeat. However, Slippery Rock dashed any thoughts of a comeback late in the game by rattling off four unanswered points – capped off by a block from VonderHaar and Victoria Nalbach for the 25-17 win. 
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock journeys to Alaska for four matches Sept. 12-14 at the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska. SRU will face UNC Pembroke, Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Fairbanks and Felician.




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