Weekend Clarion University Sports Roundup

| October 9, 2017


KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Clarion women’s soccer team saw their five-game unbeaten streak come to a halt on Sunday, as the Golden Eagles fell to top-ranked Kutztown 6-0 at Keystone Field.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

Clarion (6-5-3, 5-4-3 PSAC) will enjoy a 10-day break before their next contest, an Oct. 18 meeting with California (Pa.) on the road.

The normally stingy Golden Eagles struggled against the No. 1 team in the nation, a squad that also ranks among the national leaders in goals scored per game. The Golden Bears were the first team to score more than two goals against Clarion since West Chester all the way back on Sept. 9.

The deficit was just 2-0 through the first half of action. Clarion’s sole shot on goal came from defender Elle Stine, who struck a ball towards the net in the 17th minute of action. The Golden Eagles’ lone corner kick opportunity came in the 62nd minute, but Dani McNally was unable to get the ball in a dangerous spot and the Golden Bears took it the other way. Kutztown scored four goals in the second half to seal the win.

VOLLEYBALL SPLITS WITH GANNON AND MERCYHURST

ERIE, Pa- The Clarion women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to the Gannon Golden Knights on the road Saturday afternoon (25-19, 17-25, 15-25, 16-25).

Despite taking the first set, 25-19, the Golden Eagles would drop the next three sets to a tough Gannon squad. Clarion drops to 13-6 overall and 4-2 in the PSAC while Gannon improves to 15-3 and 5-1 in PSAC play.

Clarion was led by Julia Holden who recorded 12 kills on the afternoon followed by senior Taylor Braunagelwith 9 kills.

Leah Vensel led all players with 27 assists while Catherine Ferragonio dug out 26 attempts on the defensive end.

Gannon edged Clarion in kills 52-42, while digs remained pretty even at 75-74 Gannon. The Golden Knights did a lot of their damage on the front line, recording 22 block assists, compared to 10 for Clarion.

On Friday, the Clarion volleyball team won its third straight conference match, sweeping Mercyhurst 3-0 (27-25, 25-13, 25-16) on Friday night.

The offense was humming on Friday night, with Clarion hitting .295 as a team to overpower the Lakers on their home court. Inversely, Mercyhurst hit just .036 on the night, in part because of 7.0 total team blocks by the Golden Eagles.

Taylor Braunagel had a team-high 11 kills and was flanked by Olivia Olson and Julia Holden with seven kills apiece. Braunagel, Holden and Lauryen Driscoll all added two aces, including a key marker from Driscoll at the end of the first set. Leah Vensel added 29 assists while Catherine Ferragonio had a match-high 12 digs.

Though the overall match score was lopsided, that is not to say Mercyhurst did not have their chances to threaten. The first set was close throughout, with the Lakers holding a considerable lead and sitting on set point. Shelby Chesko put the Lakers ahead 24-21 with a kill, but a service error by Hannah Vuylsteke on the next point gave Clarion some life. Driscoll and Olson cut the lead to 24-23 with a block of Alyssa Zirnheld, and the duo combined again on the next point to tie the score at 24 with another block.

The Lakers took a 25-24 lead on a service error by Clarion, but Driscoll got the point right back with a kill. The junior right side aced Vuylsteke to give the Golden Eagles a set point, and an attack error by Tess Ganich gave Clarion the 27-25 win in the first set.

Neither of the final two sets contained any of that same drama, as Clarion pulled away in both to secure the win. The deficit in the second set was just 12-11 in favor of the Golden Eagles before a 9-1 run put the Lakers in a deep hole. Olson won the race to 15 with a kill at 15-11, forcing a Mercyhurst timeout, and Olson bounced another to make it 20-12. She closed out the big run with a kill at 21-12. Kaitlyn Glaser finished off set point with a solo block of Leah Kern.

Clarion led 11-9 in the third before taking off, with Glaser making it 15-11 with a kill. Braunagel smashed a kill at 19-14 and Olson recorded back-to-back solo blocks to give Clarion a 22-14 advantage. Olson finished off the match with a kill, taking a set from Vensel and smashing it for the 25-16 win.

Clarion is back in action Tuesday when it hosts IUP at 7 p.m. at Tippin Gym.


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