Ticket Punched: LHU Volleyball secures berth to PSAC postseason tournament

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – After locking in its first 10-win season since 2018, the Lock Haven volleyball team added another milestone to the list on Saturday after securing a berth to the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) postseason tournament for the first time in eight seasons.

Under first-year head coach Mike Kraft, the Bald Eagles dream season continues, finishing the regular season 11-12 overall and 5-9 in the PSAC East after winning just one contest during all of 2022.

No. 4 Lock Haven will travel to top-seeded Shippensburg University for a 7 p.m. match at the Raider’s Heiges Field House. Live video and statistics will be provided by Shippensburg Athletic Communications team and will be made available at here.

The Bald Eagles (5-9 PSAC) fell on the road to West Chester University, 3-1, this afternoon (Nov. 11) to land in a three-way tie with the Golden Rams (5-9 PSAC) and Bloomsburg (5-9 PSAC) after the Huskies downed Millersville earlier today.

However, Lock Haven finished the season with a plus-four in the win column for sets over the other two schools, which secured the tiebreaker and earned the Bald Eagles the fourth seed in the tournament.

Lock Haven, who fell 3-1 in four sets to the Golden Rams this afternoon (20-25, 15-25, 32-30), battled to the very end, like they have all season.

With their backs against the wall after dropping the first two sets, the Bald Eagles rallied for a 32-30 victory during extra play to keep hopes alive.

However, the Golden Rams secured the conference win with a 27-25 victory in the fourth set.

Reagan Irons (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) had a career day as she finished with a match-high 19 kills. Alyssa Daley (Everett, Pa./Everett) added nine kills, while Evie Jane Rembold (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) finished with eight. Rembold and Daley had a strong day on defense as well, adding seven and five blocks, respectively.

Kelly Gaston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview) and Madison Eckley (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle) led the match with 19 digs each, while Gaston finished with a match-high 37 assists.

Natalie Acevedo (Camuy, Puerto Rico/Paula Freire Social Justice Charter School) had a strong day serving with three aces.

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Full preview for the Bald Eagles first-round match against Shippensburg will follow on GoLHU.com.