PITTSBURGH, PA -- The Redhawks are returning to the AMCC Semifinals! La Roche earned a spot in the next round after coming back to beat Penn State Altoona 3-1 (19-25, 27-25, 25-11, 25-14) on Wednesday night. The Redhawks will play at Penn State Behrend on Saturday at 2pm.

 

Set 1: 

Ingrid Spear denied a spike as La Roche opened the postseason with a 1-0 lead. Bailey McDonald snuck a kill into the back row for a 4-2 lead and Janet Aland slammed it down to go up 5-2.

 

Penn State Altoona answered with six straight points. Sarah Storino halted the run with a kill and the Redhawks continued to fight with Ingrid Spear and McDonald providing kills.

 

Bethany Nulph tied it at 12-12 with two straight aces. The Lions ran off the next four points and forced Coach Bajuszik to call a timeout. 

 

Penn State Altoona ran away from La Roche in set 1 25-19 and the Redhawks regrouped for set 2.

 

Set 2:

Penn State Altoona jumped out to an early set 2 lead. Laura Nath threw down a spike to try and swing the momentum. Bradford helped the Redhawks cut an 11-6 deficit to an 11-11 tie.

 

The Lions took back the lead but McDonald, Janet Aland and Nath kills tied it at 17-17. A Hannah Scott ace gave the Redhawks their first lead of the set. Nath paced the Redhawks down the stretch and the Redhawks held game point at 24-22. Penn State Altoona tied it but a Bethany Nulph kill won it 27-25 and tied the match at 1-1.

 

Set 3:

Janet Aland tipped over a point to open set 3. La Roche took advantage of Penn State Altoona errors and started to run away with the set. Sarah Storino strung together a pair of aces to make it 13-6.

 

Bradford and Janet Aland kills extended the lead to 17-7. Ingrid Spear denied a Lion attack to stretch the lead and Nath struck a kill for a 20-8 lead. Kayla Gramm slammed it down to win the set 25-11.

 

Set 4:

A Nath ace gave the Redhawks their first lead of set 4 at 6-5. The lead swung back and forth but Storino and Erin Conner snuck in aces to take an 11-8 lead.

 

A Bradford ace and a Nath kill extended La Roche's lead to 16-10. Spear took over at the net, recording back to back points with a block and kill. Gramm ended it, sending the Redhawks to the semis.

 

Nath finished with a match-high 17 kills. Storino and McDonald combined for 44 assists and Scott had 42 digs.