Lions Rally for Reverse-Sweep Win in Brooklyn Tri-Match

Match 1: Brooklyn def. Penn State Schuylkill, 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 27-25)

Penn State Schuylkill opened the tri-match with a tough test against Brooklyn and couldn't overcome a slow middle set, falling in three. The Lions were within striking distance early in set one, but Brooklyn's steadier side-out play and pressure from the service line helped them pull away late for a 25-18 advantage.

Set two was the deciding swing. Schuylkill struggled to find rhythm offensively, finishing the frame with just 2 kills and an attacking percentage of -.250, allowing Brooklyn to control the set start to finish (25-10). To their credit, the Lions responded with their best volleyball in the third, hitting .240 (9 kills, 3 errors) and pushing Brooklyn past regulation. Schuylkill traded points late and fought off multiple runs, but Brooklyn closed the door in extra points, 27-25, to complete the sweep.

Lions leaders vs. Brooklyn

Reno Plesnarski: 5 kills, 6 digs, 1 ace

Bryce Hensley: 4 kills, 3 blocks (2 solo/1 assist), 6.5 points

Jeremiah Miller: 4 kills, 3 block assists, 7 digs

Kadre Williams: 17 assists (team's offensive engine)

Match 2: Penn State Schuylkill def. Saint Elizabeth, 3-2 (27-29, 24-26, 25-13, 25-18, 16-14)

Schuylkill's response in match two showed real grit. After dropping the first two sets in heartbreak fashion—29-27 and 26-24—the Lions regrouped, cleaned up their execution, and flipped the momentum with a dominant third set.

In set one, the Lions matched Saint Elizabeth point-for-point but couldn't finish the final stretch. Set two was another tight battle, with both teams trading mini-runs and side-outs; Saint Elizabeth edged it late again, putting Schuylkill in a 0-2 hole. From there, the Lions turned the match with a surge in aggressiveness at the service line and stronger net play. Set three was all Schuylkill—25-13—as the Lions held Saint Elizabeth to negative efficiency and seized control.

Set four stayed competitive, but Schuylkill maintained the edge with timely swings and a steadier response to pressure, taking it 25-18 to force a fifth. The final set delivered the day's best drama: the Lions weathered late Saint Elizabeth pushes and finished the reverse sweep 16-14, sealing it with pressure serves and clutch point scoring in the closing sequence.

Schuylkill's service game was a separator all match long, totaling 18 aces—including a massive run from Jeremiah Miller (6 aces)—and the Lions complemented it with 12 team blocks to grind out points when rallies extended.

Lions leaders vs. Saint Elizabeth

Austin Fries: 11 kills, hit .368, 4 aces, 3 blocks (1 solo/2 assists)

Jeremiah Miller: 10 kills, 6 aces, 6 digs, 2 block assists

Reno Plesnarski: 9 kills, 15 digs, 2 aces, 3 block assists

Bryce Hensley: hit .417 (7 kills, 2 errors), 2 assists, 3 blocks

Kadre Williams: 34 assists, 5 aces

Team notes (Match 2)

18 service aces (Miller 6, Fries 4, Williams 5, Plesnarski 2, Owens 1)

12 total blocks (10 block assists + 2 solo)

Strong turnaround after the first two sets to win 3 of the last 3 convincingly