WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Bloomsburg volleyball team dropped its second-straight 3-0 match to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent, West Chester, Saturday afternoon. The Golden Rams knocked off the Huskies – 25-21, 25-22, 30-28. With the loss, the Huskies fall to 8-19 on the year and 3-11 in conference play while the Golden Rams improved to 16-11 and 4-10 in the PSAC.
 
Bloomsburg raced out to an early lead as a kill from sophomore Sydney Buell (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) and a West Chester attacking error gave the Huskies an 11-6 advantage. The Golden Rams stormed back, however, and tied the set at 12-12 behind a 6-1 run. Both teams strung together three-straight points before Bloomsburg took an 18-15 lead behind two aces from junior Alyssa Cianciulli (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II). After West Chester re-took the lead at 20-18 thanks to five-straight points, Bloomsburg tied it at 20-20. The Golden Rams pushed the lead back to 22-20 before a service error got the Huskies back to within one, 22-21. West Chester hung on, however, and served out the set to take the first game 25-21.
 
The second set was reminiscent of the first as the two teams battled back and forth until Bloomsburg led 10-6. The Golden Rams stormed back once again, but this time held off the comeback attempts from the Huskies. West Chester took the lead 14-11 before Bloomsburg got back to within one, 15-14 but a well-time Ram block ended the run for the Huskies and West Chester was able to build the lead to 18-14. The Golden Rams never led by more than four points in the set, but the Huskies couldn't get their offensive rhythm back and the Golden Rams hung on for a 25-22 win in the second set.
 
West Chester came storming out of the gates in the third set and built an 8-2 lead to open the game and eventually led 14-6. The Huskies weren't going quietly, however, and got back to within one, 14-13, with seven unanswered points. The Golden Rams maintained their lead until a kill from sophomore Grace Giza (Plymouth, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) tied it at 18-18 and a Golden Ram attacking error gave Bloomsburg a 19-18 lead. The lead would be short lived, however, as West Chester came back with four-straight to take a 22-19 lead, and maintained the advantage until another kill from Giza tied it up at 24-24. The Huskies took the lead at 26-25 thanks to a kill from Giza and an ace from sophomore Mary Kate Mooney (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II), but the Huskies could not close out the set. Two straight points for the Golden Rams gave them back the lead, 27-26 before yet another two kills from Giza tied the set at 28-28. After a Huskies attacking error gave the set point back to West Chester, Rachel Robb closed out the match with a kill to give the Golden Rams a 30-28 victory and the three-set win.
 
Giza led the Huskies with 11 kills and four block assists while sophomore Bryn Stek (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) finished the day with 16 assists. Cianciulli added 17 digs to her three service aces for the match.
 
The Huskies return home on Friday, November 8 to kick off a five-match homestand to close out the 2019 regular season. Bloomsburg welcomes Shepherd University to Nelson Field House on Friday, November 8 for a 7:00 p.m. PSAC contest.