Amanda Floyd
Amanda Floyd

Brandywine Bows Out Of PSUAC Tournament In Semifinals

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 2 Penn State Brandywine saw the 2019 season come to an end on Monday night as the Lions dropped a Penn State University Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament semifinal match in straight sets to No. 1 Penn State Fayette inside Rec Hall.

Brandywine hung tough early in the opening set, climbing within one at 10-9 following four-straight points, capped off by kills from Hope Coacher (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) and Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro); however, Fayette used an 11-1 surge to pull ahead for good. The Lions clawed back as close as eight down, but Fayette ended the set with a pair of kills to take a 1-0 lead.

Brandywine, playing in a semifinal match for the eighth-straight year, took an early lead in set No. 2, moving in front by as many as three points at 12-9 following a pair of Fayette errors. The defending PSUAC champions used their strong offense to bounce back, scoring 10-straight points to take command of the frame. Fayette collected 16 points from kills during the set, earning a 25-17 triumph to build a 2-0 advantage.

Fayette netted eight of the first 10 points, leading wire-to-wire during the final stanza. Coacher's kill brought the Lions within four, but Fayette answered with three consecutive points and Brandywine would not get closer, falling 25-11.

Kira Thorne (Alconbury, England/Alconbury) paced the offense with five kills, while Coacher and Amanda Floyd (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) both tallied three. Rebecca Gonzalez (Clearwater, Fla./Washburn Academy) produced seven assists and Madison Swenson (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) dished out five helpers.

Floyd registered eight digs, as did Gianna Anthony (Newtown Square, Pa./Sacred Heart Academy), who surpassed 300 digs during her freshman season. Swenson and Gonzalez both added five digs.

Brandywine finished the season with a record of 13-15 after finishing second in the PSUAC East Division with an 11-1 conference mark. Fayette will take on Penn State Beaver, a 3-0 winner over Penn State Schuylkill, Tuesday night for the conference championship.