ERIE, Pa. – The IUP women's volleyball program advances to the PSAC Championship after defeating Shepherd in five sets Friday evening 3-2. The set scores were 19-25,25-20, 22-25, 25-22, and 15-7.
 
No. 2 (W) IUP snapped No. 1 (E) Shepherd's 16 game winning streak and added their fifth loss this season. With this win, IUP has handed the Rams two of their five loses this season.

Delaney Concannon led IUP with 17 kills and hit .324 throughout five sets. Jessica Neiman was close behind with 12 kills, and Nyla Birch added 11 kills and one block. IUP combined for seven total blocks, with Lauren Valentic contributing three.
 
IUP's first three points came from a Valentic kill to open the scoring and two Shepherd service errors. Shepherd jumped ahead to a 7-3-point lead after three kills and a service ace.
 
Three consecutive kills from Birch, Neiman, and Valentic position the Hawks down by just one point at 7-6. Concannon put up three kills in a row to limit IUP's trail to 13-10. The Rams went on a four-point run increasing their lead to 20-14. A late effort from Neiman and Valentic was not enough as the Rams pushed to set point and took the first set after a service error from Schmidt.
 
The second set started off strong for the Hawks after a kill from each Neiman and Birch and two service aces from Bailey Flowerdew. The Crimson Hawks boosted to an 12-4 lead after an equal offensive effort.
 
Shepherd capitalized on four services aces to put the set within three points. IUP got out to a seven-point lead with a kill from Concannon. Shepherd had a late spark but was unable to pull off the win after a service error.
 
In the third, the teams traded points and each went on respective runs. A kill from Neiman put the Hawks ahead at 17-16. A block by Valentic tied the match at 20-20. Three errors by Birch and three kills by the Rams let them take the third set 25-22.
 
In the fourth, the teams held steady. Charlotte Potvin had a kill to tie the score at 10-10. Shepherd responded with an eight point run while limiting IUP to just two points. The Hawks took action and went on their own five point run to bring the score within two. The Rams held the lead at 21-19, but IUP scored four consecutive points, gave up one, and finished off the set with two kills to force a fifth.
 
The Hawks jumped out to an early 6-2 lead after capitalizing on numerous service errors. Potvin had a huge block to position the Hawks just five points shy of winning. IUP finished off the fifth set after a kill from Concannon, two service aces from Concannon, and a perfect placed kill from Birch to advance.
 
Up Next
IUP will play the winner of No.3 (E) East Stroudsburg vs. No. 1 (W) Gannon in the PSAC Championship tomorrow, November 23 ay 7:00 p.m. in the Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie, Pa. 
 
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawks and @IUPVB.