BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - After opening the 2019 campaign with 15 consecutive matches on the road, the Bloomsburg University women's volleyball team made its home debut on Friday night at the Nelson Field House. However, the visiting Golden Eagles of Clarion spoiled the Huskies' home opener by knocking off Bloomsburg in straight sets - 25-19, 25-18, 25-15. The Huskies dropped to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division while Clarion improved to 10-5 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC Northwest Division.

The Huskies battled but just could not get over the hump down the stretch of each of the three sets. Bloomsburg trailed 21-18 in the first set before Clarion scored four of the final five points to take a 1-0 lead. Then, in the second set, the Huskies cut the deficit to 22-18 late before the visitors scored the final three points to extend the lead to 2-0. Finally, in what proved to be the final set, Bloomsburg trimmed an early deficit to 16-12 before the Golden Eagles pulled away by scoring nine of the final twelve points to complete the sweep.

Sophomore Mary Kate Mooney (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II) led the Huskies with eight kills on the night and posted a team-high .227 hitting percentage but was charged with six of the team's nine receiving errors as the Golden Eagles finished with nine aces. Freshman Julia Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) and sophomore Sydney Buell (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) chipped in with five kills apiece while sophomore Grace Giza (Plymouth, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) added four kills and had two of the team's four service aces.

Freshman Brooke Kratzer (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) posted a team-high 13 assists while sophomore Bryn Stek (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) added 10. Junior Alyssa Cianciulli (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II) had a match-high 13 digs on the night.

The Huskies, however, had no answer for the Clarion duo of Julian Holden and Holly Pittman. Holden led the Golden Eagles with 16 kills while adding seven digs and three assisted blocks while Pittman had 10 kills and hit a whopping .833 for the match. Pittman also had four of the team's nine aces. Alexa Cundy had 33 assists while Aubrey Wrona had a team-high 10 digs. Bloomsburg hit .105 for the match while the Golden Eagles posted a .329 hitting percentage.

The Huskies will be back at the Nelson Field House on Saturday morning, October 5, when they host Slippery Rock University. Start time is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.