Box Score
ASTON, Pa. – Neumann volleyball team struck gold when they beat Pittsburgh-Bradford in five sets. It would be the Knights second match and Pittsburgh-Bradford's first game of the day. As Neumann lost the first two sets and was trailing most of the third game, the Knights defined themselves as a team that just doesn't fancy losing.
Game scores were: 24-26, 19-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-9.
Pittsburgh-Bradford on all accounts are a very good team. You have to be good to dig the kills that the Knights were laying down. For three sets the Panthers were everywhere as well as striking the ball with terrific power and placement. It would be mental fatigue that set into the Knights for the first three sets. The only thing that would give them energy is a win third set. Katelin Kuklentz was the catalyst on the night, resuscitating the team's spirit, spraying spikes all over the court. When Kuklentz wasn't slamming the ball through the floor, she was “dinking it” over to keep the Panthers off balance. How do you stop Kuklentz from venomous kills…….sub her out of the game, because Pittsburgh-Bradford had no answer.
Gianna Jones proved to be quite handy, especially in the fourth and fifth set with 13 total kills. It was Jones that would spin around Cecily Scavicchio for cross court kills leaving no doubt that it the Knights night. Scavicchio flung 51 glorious assists, while recording 14 digs. Natalie George added 12 kills on the night as she got plenty of exercise as a human pogo stick.
Katie Young “Prime-Time” had her moments of brilliance. The fifth set offered a lengthy rally that saw “Prime-Time” kill the shot and the Panthers hopes all in one swift Spike. Scavicchio followed up with a flick of the wrist, I'm going this way….no I'm going that way dink for a point.
The game took new shape once the fans were chanting “Let's Go Neumann” and cheering every point,” quoted Coach Jespersen. “Our supporters lifted us to a whole new level. It was great to see the girls come back tonight, but you could see it coming.”
Danielle Kwapisz (11 digs) and Maria Donahue (14 digs) played valuable and necessary contributors in the Knights victory.
Support your Knights (8-3) tomorrow at 10 am against Rutgers University Camden.
