Brandywine Knocks Off New Kensington And Defending-Champion Fayette

MEDIA, Pennsylvania -- Penn State Brandywine clinched a top-two seed in next week's PSUAC Volleyball Tournament as the Lions swept Penn State New Kensington and seven-time defending-conference champion Penn State Fayette by 3-0 scores on Saturday afternoon.

Brandywine (17-3, 14-0 PSUAC), which has now won all 14 of its conference matches in sweeps, handed Fayette just its second loss in its last 92 conference matches and first 3-0 defeat in a league game since 2007. The Lions can claim the No. 1 seed in the PSUAC Tournament with a victory over Penn State Greater Allegheny or Penn State Beaver on Senior Day Sunday.

After easing past New Kensington, Brandywine was able to fend off Fayette, which has defeated Lions in the PSUAC title game two years in a row.  

Brandywine trailed the first set 21-19, but scored the final six points to take the frame. Following a timeout, Brandywine received a pair of kills from Kirsten Jerla (Springfield, Pa./Notre Dame) and took advantage of four Fayette errors.

The Lions used kills from Miranda Biondi (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) and Halee Kusner (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) to build a 5-0 lead in set No. 2 and Fayette would never get the deficit closer than four the rest of the way.

Brandywine led 10-7 during the final set and put Fayette away by scoring the match's next 11 points. Kusner, Jerla and Nicole Costa (Lansdowne, Pa./Upper Darby) combined for six kills during the run, which was also aided by five Fayette miscues.

Biondi totaled 65 assists during the two matches and now needs just 12 more helpers for 2,000 in her career. She also tallied four aces and eight digs.

Kusner led the team on the day with 27 kills, while Costa registered 18 and Nikki Poissant (Aston, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) added 16.

Sixteen of Kim Russo's (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) 21 digs came against Fayette, while Kelsi Wiest (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) collected 14 digs. Russo stands 13 digs shy of 1,000 for her career.

Kusner and Costa combined for half of Brandywine's 12 blocks against Fayette.

Brandywine will honor its six seniors Sunday following its match with Penn State Greater Allegheny at noon.