Slippery Rock University Athletics

EDINBORO, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team earned an impressive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road victory Friday night over Edinboro in four sets (24-26, 27-25, 25-21, 25-19).
 
Friday's win over the Fighting Scots improved The Rock's record to 7-17 overall and 1-10 in PSAC West competition. Edinboro meanwhile dropped to 10-13 overall and 3-8 in league matches.
 
The Rock earned the win in what was an all-around team effort thanks to holding advantages over Edinboro in kills (55-51), attack percentage (.189 / .118), total blocks (12-10) and digs (79-75).
 
SRU's 79 digs were a team single-match high in 2026, while its 12 blocks were one shy of a 13-rejection effort versus Pitt-Johnstown for a season-best. The Fighting Scots' .118 hitting percentage was the fifth lowest by a Rock opponent this season.
 
Slippery Rock placed three athletes in double-digit kill totals Friday, led by Hayden Deming's career-high 15 kills. Deming, who also registered two blocks, reached her personal-best kill total on a .353 attack percentage.
 
Victoria Nalbach's strong stretch of play continued as well in the form of 12 kills, a .478 attack percentage, seven digs and six blocks (1 solo / 5 assisted).
 
Ali Haynes had a great night as well with 12 kills – the third double-digit showing in her last six matches - and seven blocks. Haynes seven blocks is tied for the fourth highest single-match total by a Rock freshman since 2008.
 
The trio of Nalbach, Deming and Haynes combined for a .308 attack percentage.
 
Ellie Friedrichs added to SRU's attack leaders with eight kills and a match-high three aces in addition to a personal-best 17 digs.
 
In guiding SRU's strong offensive night, Paityn Krause tallied her third-highest assist total of the year (23) all the while making 10 digs in the double-double effort. Emily Loeffler also hit the 20-assist threshold (21) for the second time in her rookie year.
 
Rounding out SRU's top performers in the win were Leah Schreckengost (2 aces), Kara Pasquale (19 digs), Alayna Esselink (3 blocks) and Marley Annis (7 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace).
 
The first set, which was a close tassel through its duration, started promising for a Rock team that claimed six of the opening nine points of the night before a 6-2 Fighting Scot spurt gave Edinboro a lead it would hold through the middle stages of the opener.
 
Trailing 17-11, Slippery Rock battled back with a 12-3 run of its own that was highlighted by three kills and a block assist by Deming to put The Rock in front 23-20. However, Edinboro rattled off three straight points to pull even with SRU and grab the momentum in a set that ultimately concluded in a 26-24 Edinboro win.
 
Deming ended the opening set with four kills on a .667 attack percentage and one block.
 
The Rock sprinted out to an 11-6 lead that forced an Edinboro timeout to begin the second set. While SRU did hold four separate six-point advantages during the second set, Edinboro eventually pulled the set into an 18-18 tie.
 
From there, The Rock and Fighting Scots traded points until back-to-back kills by Friedrichs and Deming with the set in a 25-25 stalemate gave SRU the match-evening 27-25 decision.
 
Haynes gave SRU four kills in the second set, while SRU's defense limited the Fighting Scots to a .034 attack percentage.
 
The third set was a near wire-to-wire triumph for The Rock. After erasing a miniscule 2-0 deficit, Slippery Rock pushed its way to a 5-4 edge it would never relinquish. While Edinboro kept the set close, SRU held off the Fighting Scots' various rallies culminating in The Rock taking four of the final five points in a 25-21 go-ahead win.
 
Haynes and Nalbach continued their big nights in the third set with four kills apiece. Collectively, SRU registered a .257 attack percentage in the third set – its highest of the evening.
 
SRU left no doubt in the fourth with a 7-0 run that effectively put the set – and the match – away early. The Rock was content to trade points with Edinboro through the remainder of the set following its big opening charge before Friedrichs closed out SRU's first conference win of 2026 with a kill and match-ending ace combo in consecutive points that sealed the 25-19 win.
 
Deming rattled off seven kills for SRU in the final set.
 
Edinboro was led on the night by D'Aira Whitner's 14 kills.
 
Slippery Rock looks to build on the momentum of Friday's win with another road victory 2 p.m. Saturday at Gannon University.





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