Fries Leads Effort as Young Lions Battle at Valley Forge
The Young Lions showed continued growth and fight on the road despite a straight-set loss to Valley Forge Tuesday night.
Penn State Schuylkill continued to gain valuable experience Tuesday night, falling on the road to Valley Forge in straight sets (25-13, 25-15, 25-19).
The Young Lions showed early energy in the opening set, jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead behind service aces from David Imeogu before Valley Forge responded with a strong run from the service line to take control. Despite the setback, Schuylkill continued to compete point-for-point throughout the match.
Austin Fries led the offensive effort for the Young Lions with a team-high seven kills, while also adding three service aces and four digs. Reno Plesnarski directed the offense with seven assists and chipped in two aces and a kill, while Imeogu contributed two aces and multiple key defensive plays. Ashton Owens and Fries anchored the back row with four digs apiece as Schuylkill totaled 16 digs and 10 service aces on the night.
The third set proved to be the most competitive, with Schuylkill battling to within one point midway through the frame and tying the set late before Valley Forge closed out the match. The Young Lions continued to show resilience and growth throughout the contest as they build chemistry in the early stages of the season.