Brandywine Remains Unbeaten With Victory Over Bryn Athyn

MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine won for the fourth time in as many matches to begin the year as the Lions bested Bryn Athyn 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 25-21) on Thursday night.

Halee Kusner (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) and Nikki Poissant (Aston, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) combined for 34 kills as Kusner collected a season-high 17 and Poissant delivered 16. Poissant also registered 13 digs and five aces, while Nicolette Napoleon (Springfield, Pa./Penn Charter) added nine kills and four digs.

Setter Sullivan Stark (Middletown, Del./William Penn) set career bests with 49 assists and 11 digs. Emily Battista (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) recorded 12 digs, while Rikelle Taylor (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco) tallied four blocks (two solo), along with six kills.

After trailing 5-2 early, Brandywine rallied to take a 9-8 lead following a Bryn Athyn error and would stay in front for the remainder of the first set, winning 25-20.

The Lions appeared in control of the second set as they held a 23-21 edge, but Bryn Athyn rattled off four consecutive points to even the match.

Neither team led by more than three points during a back-and-forth third set. Brandywine faced three-straight set points, but a kill from Poissant and three consecutive kills by Kusner gave the Lions the set and a 2-1 lead.

The fourth set was tied at 11, but Brandywine collected nine of the next 12 points to take a commanding 20-14 edge and finished off Bryn Athyn with back-to-back kills from Poissant and Kusner.

Brandywine (4-0) hosts a tri-match on Saturday with contests against Penn College (11:00 am) and Hood College (3:00 pm).