BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College women's volleyball team put together a strong effort against Allegheny, one of the top teams in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), on Friday night on Senior Night, but as has been the case for much of the season, Geneva couldn't find a way to finish the match off, falling in five sets (25-18, 15-25, 25-23, 21-25, 12-15). It was the second time this season the Gators have defeated Geneva in five sets. The Golden Tornadoes dropped to 10-11 on the season, 3-5 in the PAC, while Allegheny improved to 19-8, 6-2 in the PAC.
Prior to the match, the Golden Tornadoes took time to honor seniors Savannah Byers, Heather Cendrowski, Tess Neville, Samantha Peachey and Tess Neville for their contributions to the program over the past four seasons. The celebration set the scene for what proved to be a very tight match.
Allegheny jumped ahead to an early 6-2 lead in the first set before Geneva rallied behind a kill and an ace from Byers, along with kills from juniors Kami Mummau and Megan Veon, pulling level at 7-7. A few minutes later, the women used a 10-2 run to take their first lead of the set, extending the margin out to a commanding 19-12 lead. Mummau had a block, a kill and an ace in the stretch. Kills from Mummau and Byers eventually finished off the well-played set, 25-18.
The second set was close early, with a kill from Veon and an ace from sophomore Emily Nelson knotting the score at 8-8. However, Allegheny took over with 16-4 run, eventually winning the set, 25-15.
Allegheny opened the third set with three straight points before Geneva responded with four points behind a kill from Mummau, a double block from Byers and Peachey, and an ace from junior Zoe Pifer. The Gators answered with a 6-1 run to retake the lead, 9-5. The Golden Tornadoes responded to that run with their own 6-1 run to take the lead back, 11-10. Veon, Mummau and Neville all had kills in the stretch. A minute later, Geneva scored four straight points behind a kill and an ace from Neville, along with kills from Nelson and freshman Julia Jordon, to grab a 16-12 advantage. Allegheny had another response, rallying to retake the lead, 20-19. Geneva closed well, though. With the set tied at 22-22, Geneva scored three of the next four points, the last on a kill from Neville, to win 25-23.
Allegheny jumped out to another 9-5 lead in the fourth set, but Geneva would again battle back later in the set. The women scored five straight points, with freshman Katie Seboe contributing two kills, to take their first lead of the set, 18-16. Geneva would push its edge to 20-17 on a kill from Veon before Allegheny took over. The Gators scored eight of the final nine points, including the final five, to win 25-21, sending the match to a fifth set.
The final set was tight most of the way. A kill from Neville evened the set at 10-10, but the Gators found the points they needed late to leave town with a 15-12 victory.
Geneva was again led by its trio of hitters. Mummau finished with 18 kills, Neville 12 kills and Veon 10 kills. Geneva hit just .124 as a team, though, compared to .172 for Allegheny. Peachey had 40 assists and 17 digs, while Pifer again led the defensive effort with 33 digs.
The women now have their backs against the wall. They have two matches left in the regular season, and Geneva must win them both if it wants a chance to make the PAC playoffs. The Golden Tornadoes host Westminster on Wednesday before finishing the regular season at Grove City on Saturday. If Geneva can win both, it stands a good chance to qualify for the postseason.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
