Altoona, PA- The Alfred State Volleyball team faced Penn State Altoona in a tight match that stretched to five sets, ultimately favoring Altoona, as the Pioneers suffered a loss, 3-2 (25-13, 25-16, 25-17, 25-21, 15-10). Following this loss, the Pios now sit with an overall record of 10-10, 1-3 in conference action.
 
Today's game leaders featured two double-doubles from Gloria Stem with 14 kills and 11 digs and Alayna Tomlinson with 12 kills, 12 digs and two aces. Erin Gregoire tacked on seven kills and four blocks of her own while Gabriella Thurmond added 42 assists on the day.
 
The Lions were able to take the first set, as the Pioneers couldn't find their rhythm early, 25-13. After a shaky start, Alfred State began to find their momentum with stronger serves and more aggressive attacks. Alli Hillard and Stem aided the Pioneers in a four-point rally to put them up by two early in the second set, 7-5. Altoona's offense not backing down allowed for a close set until the Pios found their break as Tomlinson recorded three kills, Caitlyn Gilman contributing two of her own and a few scattered service aces. This gave ASC the opportunity to shut down set two with a dominate kill from Stem, 25-16.
 
Keeping the energy high in the third set, Gilman and Tomlinson delivered immediate kills, pushing the Lions to react quick. Taking the early lead, the Pioneers held Altoona at bay as Gregoire and Tomlinson continued to attack hard. Later in the set, the Lions strung together a strong rally, putting pressure back on the Pios as they only held a one-point lead, 16-15. Facing that pressure head on, ASC closed out the third set with a four-point rally consisting of Gregoire and Tomlinson kills and crucial blocks by Gilman, Thurmond and Tomlinson, 25-17.
 
The fourth set quickly turned into a nail-biter as both teams battled for a lead. While the Lions held the lead for the early half of the set, the Pioneers found strength through a Gregoire block followed by kills from Tomlinson and Carmen Crowley. Altoona fought back with a solid rally that led them to control the latter of the set and take the win to tie the match 2-2.