Point Park Opens Play at Vulcan Invitational

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Point Park suffered a pair of close in-region losses to Frostburg State and California (PA) on Friday afternoon on day one of the Vulcan Invitational at the Convocation Center.

Against Frostburg State on Friday afternoon, Point Park battled to a 3-2 loss in five sets. The Pioneers won set one 25-21, before falling 25-23 and 25-20 in the next two sets. PPU won set four by a 25-16 final, before Frostburg State earned the win with a 15-9 edge in set five.

Point Park hit .201 with 53 kills and 23 errors in the match. Eden McElhaney led the way for the Pioneers will 16 kills and 11 digs, while Giulia Follador added 15 kills and nine digs. Rachel Tessari was the third Pioneers to reach double-figures with 13 kills and a team-high 20 digs in the match.

Mia Arndt tallied 13 digs for the Pioneers, while setter Elise Wallace recorded a double-double with 41 assists and 10 digs.

Frostburg State got a team-high 16 kills from All-MEC standout Beverly Braun in the close win. FSU hit .242 in the match (63 kills, 24 errors).

In the early evening against Cal U, Point Park took set one 25-19, before dropping the next three sets 25-7, 25-22 and 25-21.

Against Cal U, Point Park got a match-high 16 kills from Tessari, while McElhaney chipped in 10 kills and 13 digs. Patricia Calero Iriza had three blocks against the Vulcans.

Wallace filled the stat sheet against Cal, recording six kills, 31 assists and 13 digs.

The Vulcans got nine kills apiece from Sophia Johnson, Allie Droneberger and Elise Rugiero.

PPU will wrap up play at the Vulcan Invitational on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Bloomsburg.