Matt Mathias

Sports Editor

Mcm5909@psu.edu

On Sunday, November 7, Penn State Behrend’s Volleyball team won the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship match versus Alfred State by a score of 3-0. They won each set by scores of 25-17, 25-15, and 25-14. They advanced to the championship game after defeating Pitt-Bradford on Saturday. This is the Lady Lions’ sixth overall conference title win as well as their second straight dating back to last season. Behrend recorded a season-high .458 hitting percentage on the day to solidify their efforts. Head Coach Phillip Pisano spoke to his pride in the team by saying, “I feel happy for the players, for the reward they’ve received for their hard work. Working hard doesn’t guarantee your success, in athletics, or in life, but it does  make your success more likely. . . It’s wonderful to see that their commitment to each other has paid off with another championship and some lasting memories.”

Both Maddie Clapper and Kristin Reiland were also named to the All-Tournament Team thanks to their performances over the weekend. Some standout performers were Reiland, who had 14 kills on the day and hit .423, as well as Dani Kosslow, who had 37 assists along with nine digs and two aces. The Women’s Volleyball team will look to play in the upcoming NCAA Division III Tournament this Thursday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their opponent will be the Calvin Knights of Calvin University. The Lions will be appearing in the 64-team tournament for the fifth time in program history.

In another dominant performance, the Women’s Soccer team also won its AMCC Championship match versus Pitt-Greensburg with the score being a shutout, 2-0. There was a lot on the line in this matchup as this game was a rematch of the 2019 Conference Title showdown that finished with the Pitt-Greensburg Bobcats defeating the Lions by a score of 3-2. The grudge match went Behrend’s way as they were able to get their revenge in this matchup, securing the program’s fifteenth AMCC Championship. 

The Lions succeeded in shutting out the opposition for the tenth straight game. They also kept their winning streak alive as they have won 15 straight games. Brenna McGuire, Mia Zec, and Angelina Hofricher earned the honors of being placed on the AMCC All-Tournament Tea, for their efforts. Goals were scored by McGuire as well as Isabella Mollica. Morgan Harding made two saves in goal as she helped shut out the Bobcats.

 Lion’s Head Coach, Patrick O’Driscoll, praised the team as a whole in a statement saying, “At different moments in the season, different players have to perform well. There’s much credit to being a good teammate who makes a teammate better than being the star. I think it’s important to recognise the contributions of the group. . .we have a lot of players that are just really committed. So I think that’s the key, our girls are really committed and talented.” 

Behrend will go on to travel to Middletown, Connecticut where they will take on the Wesleyan University Cardinals in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division III this Saturday at 11 A.M. This will be the first matchup between the two teams in the program’s history.