Alfred, NY – The Alfred State women's volleyball team battled throughout the afternoon but came up short in a 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 24-26, 25-21) non-conference loss to Houghton on Thursday at the Orvis Activities Center.
The Pioneers (8-5) showed resilience after dropping the opening two sets, rallying late in the third set to extend the match. Trailing 24-23, Alfred State scored the final three points of the frame, capitalizing on consecutive Houghton attack errors to earn a 26-24 victory.
Offensively,
Alayna Tomlinson and
Gloria Stem paced the Pioneers with 16 and 13 kills, respectively. Tomlinson added eight digs while hitting .289, while Stem chipped in seven digs, two service aces, and two block assists.
Isabel Carew directed the offense with 38 assists and added nine digs and two service aces. Defensively,
Ava Wickes led all Pioneers with 17 digs, while
Rebecca Jackson contributed eight kills and two block assists.
Brianny Rodriguez was a force at the net, recording four block assists and five total blocks.
As a team, Alfred State finished with 43 kills, 40 assists, 49 digs, 10 service aces, and six total blocks while posting a .191 hitting percentage. The Pioneers held an advantage at the net, totaling six blocks compared to Houghton's three.
The opening two sets were tightly contested, with neither team able to create much separation. Alfred State erased a four-point deficit in the first set and held a late 23-22 lead before Houghton closed on a 3-0 run. The second set was equally competitive before the Highlanders again edged the Pioneers 25-23.
After claiming the third set, Alfred State jumped out to an 8-5 lead in the fourth, but Houghton responded with a decisive run to take control and eventually secure the match.
The Pioneers will be back in action on October 3
rd as they head to La Plume, PA for the Keystone Classic.
