Slippery Rock volleyball returned home for the first time this season, stepping away from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play to host Shippensburg University on Saturday. In a close back-and-forth battle, the Raiders edged out The Rock in five sets.
Energy was high for the home opener, and head coach Dylan Lasher said, “[The] team came in ready to play. We were fiery.”
Shippensburg struck first in opening the set with two kills to take an early lead. The Rock retaliated with two kills of their own and an attack error that put them in the lead 3-2.
The Rock controlled the early stretch, but the Raiders were close behind until five consecutive points put them back in the lead at 13-10.
The Green and White fought hard, but their efforts were not enough. Shippensburg closed out the first set 25-22.
The Rock bounced back to dominate the second. Behind six total kills and service aces, and an attack and service error, SRU left little room for Shippensburg to respond.
“Trust what we do. Trust what we work on in practice and just trust that we can produce,” Lasher said.
Slippery Rock did just that. They came out on top with a majority of their points coming from kills.
Lauren VonderHaar led the charge, tallying 13 kills that game and putting up a new season high.
Emry Rumbaugh and Kaitlyn Danszczak secured the set, tying the match at one apiece.
Kills were not the only thing Lasher was happy to see that game.
“Blocking stepped up. Our serving, we’re making some crucial crunch time serves, which was great,” he said.
Shippensburg regained control in the third with a seven-point run to open the frame.
The Green and White put up 13 points in the set, but it did not compare to the Raiders’ 25 points to win the set.
The Rock did not lose hope in the fourth when they put up two points right away. It was back and forth with scoring until Shippensburg took the lead 11-9 after two kills and two attack errors.
After a service error and two kills delivered by Ava Haynes, the scoreboard tied at 12.
Two more kills by Haynes, one by Callie Chevalier, and an attack error put Slippery Rock in the lead, and they never looked back.
Shippensburg was able to tally five more kills and an attack error, but The Rock won the set 25-18.
Going into the fifth set, Lasher had full confidence in his team.
The Rock opened the final set with a strong lead of 7-0.
The Raiders gained some edge when they earned four back-to-back points themselves, but Slippery Rock remained steady.
They held it 14-10 until a service error and three kills allowed Shippensburg to tie it at 14.
From there, the lead volleyed between the two teams.
The Raiders came out victorious after two attack errors and a kill gave them the boost they needed.
The White and Green will continue their PSAC West slate when they host Seton Hill University on Friday.
Lasher said the goal for the team looking forward is: “Don’t be timid and finish.”
