CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Junior
Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) put up 19 kills and 19 digs, but those totals weren't enough as IUP women's volleyball dropped a tightly played four-set match to California on Friday night at the Convocation Center.
The loss sets up a three-way tie for second place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Southwest Division, with IUP, Clarion, and Seton Hill all tied with 10-7 league records. Cal clinched a division title with tonight's set.
It also sets up a final day where two of those three teams will clinch postseason berths. The Crimson Hawks face a must-win situation at Seton Hill to guarantee the program's first PSAC tournament appearance since 2004. Clarion plays at Cal.
The Crimson Hawks (19-9 overall) dropped the opening two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-21. They rebounded with a 25-23 set three win before losing the fourth by a score of 25-17.
IUP hit over .225 in the second and third sets, but hit into 14 errors in the fourth to finish with a -.133 percentage.
It was Cignetti's 13th straight match of at least 10 kills and her 10th double-double in her last 12 outings. Seniors
Kaitlyn Palmer (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and
Lily McWilliams (Rockville, Md./Thomas Sprigg Wootton) also had double-doubles, each tallying 10 kills and 10 digs.
Senior setter
Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy) had 34 assists and 14 digs and sophomore libero
Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had a match-high 29 digs.
IUP and Seton Hill will get going on Saturday at 1 p.m.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.
