Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship

Penn State Mont Alto 3, Penn State York 0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-19)

For the first time in 19 seasons Penn State Mont Alto volleyball reached the pinnacle of the conference by winning the championship contest, a sweep over Penn State York on Tuesday evening. Following an upset defeat in 2021 during the semifinals, Head Coach Randy Hood said he felt his team was at ease after they cleared that roadblock in 2022 following a semifinal victory on Monday evening. Despite a Penn State York surge in the second set, Penn State Mont Alto maintained control throughout the match on its way to winning the confererence crown.

Penn State Mont Alto built a 19-4 lead in the first set on its way to taking the first set 25-13. Set two saw Penn State York fight back and tie the set at 9-9 early on. The score was tied 16-16 late in the set before Penn State Mont Alto went on a run including a Penn State York timeout with a 18-16 lead on a Leslie Huckle tip kill from Kylie Denlinger. Penn State Mont Alto took set two 25-20.

Penn State Mont Alto seized momentum following a 4-0 Penn State York start to the third set. Mont Alto quickly erased that lead with timely kills from Leslie Huckle and Gracie Vaughn that helped Mont Alto win the next five points of the third set. Mont Alto would force a Penn State York timeout with the score 8-5 in the third set. Penn State York would tie the set halfway through at 13-13, at 18-18, andPenn State York even took a 19-18 lead before Mont Alto took control of the set. Gracie Vaughin connected on a kill, Caroline Blickley finished a block and Kylee Gooding recorded a kill to push Mont Alto up 22-19. Mont Alto go on to win the next three points as well to clinch the conference title, winning set three 25-19.

While Penn State Mont Alto clinched an automatic berth to the USCAA National Championships, the team will learn their schedule for championship play later today during the USCAA bid show at 4:30 p.m. 

Leaders:

Kills- Kylee Gooding 16, Gracie Vaughn 10

Digs- Brooke Denlinger 21, Kylee Gooding 10

Blocks- Caroline Blickley 4

Assists- Kylie Denlinger 38