Brandywine Takes Key PSUAC Battle From Schuylkill

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine held on to sole possession of second place in the Penn State University Athletic Conference East Division by defeating Penn State Schuylkill 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 16-25, 25-14) on Monday night.

Brandywine improved to 7-1 in league play by sweeping the season series from Schuylkill, which dropped to 4-3 in PSUAC matches.

The opening set featured six ties before Brandywine took the lead for good with four-straight points, including kills from Dana Palmer (New London, Pa./Avon Grove) and Laura de Jesus (Santo Domingo, D.R./New Horizons) and an ace from Madison Swenson (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett). Schuylkill pulled as close as two down on three occasions, but kills from Swenson and Amanda Floyd (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) ended the set in Brandywine's favor.

The Lions had to rally from a six-point deficit during set No. 2. Brandywine chipped away, getting within one following a kill by Anna Ramirez (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) at 19-18 and then knotted the score at 22-all on a de Jesus kill. Back-to-back errors gave Brandywine set point and following a long rally, de Jesus set down another kill to help Brandywine claim the set.

Brandywine trailed by just one at 9-8 during the third set, but Schuylkill rattled off nine consecutive points to take command. The Lions narrowed the margin to six points three times before the visitors scored the final three points to extend the match to a fourth set.

Schuylkill scored the first point of the final set, but the remainder belonged to Brandywine, which netted the next five points and swelled the margin to double figures following back-to-back kills from Palmer and Ramirez. The visitors pulled within seven at 20-13, but two kills from both Ramirez and Jordan Thompson (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) and an error sent the set and match to Brandywine.

Ramirez (12 kills) and Floyd (11 kills, 2 aces) paced the offense, while Swenson dished out 32 assists. Palmer added eight kills and Thompson chipped in six.

Defensively, Sydney Stevens (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. DuPont) produced a career-high 27 digs, the most by a Lion since 2018. Thompson collected four blocks, while Suzie Alvarenga (Fullerton, Calif./Notre Dame Academy) totaled 17 digs, Swenson tallied 16 and Ramirez added 13.

Brandywine (8-3, 7-1 PSUAC) faces Penn State York with first place in the PSUAC East on the line Wednesday at 7:00 PM.