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A graphic displaying the 2024 PSUAC Volleyball Championship match between Penn State Hazleton and Penn State Mont Alto.
A graphic displaying the 2024 PSUAC Volleyball Championship match between Penn State Hazleton and Penn State Mont Alto.
A graphic displaying the 2024 PSUAC Volleyball Championship match between Penn State Hazleton and Penn State Mont Alto.
Posted: Oct 29, 2024

Hazleton Wins First PSUAC Volleyball Title in Program History

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Rec Hall has a long, storied history steeped in championships. The PSUAC has added to that tradition, long hosting its volleyball championship tournament in the venue. And now, the PSUAC welcomes more history-making to Rec Hall as Penn State Hazleton captured its first ever PSUAC Volleyball Championship on Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over two-time defending champions Penn State Mont Alto.

Hazleton head coach Noel Kaufman has steadily built the program over her four-year tenure, missing the playoffs in year one but gradually improved her team's seeding in the next three years. The culmination of that build came Tuesday night as her team triumphed in the tournament championship match after winning the East Division regular season title.

Led by Sydney Mack and Kaytlin Kelley, who finished with 16 and 12 kills, respectively, Hazleton bounced back from a first set loss to win the next three. Sophia Del Vacchio was all over the court, finishing with 49 assists and three service aces. Four Hazleton players finished with double-digit kills, with Nora Jones leading the way with 21. Mack finished with 17, Rebecca Dzuranin had 16 and Lindsey Barron added 11 for the stout Hazleton defense.

Mont Alto started the match on fire, grabbing a 9-2 lead and eventually extending it to 13-6. Hazleton battled back to make it 18-15, but Mont Alto steadied at the end of the set to pull ahead 1-0 after a 25-21 win. Set two went back and forth, with neither team leading by more than three through the 16th point, but a 7-0 run by Hazleton made it 22-16. Hazleton would trade points and eventually tie the match 1-1 with a 25-19 win.

Hazleton continued the momentum in set three, jumping out to an 8-3 lead. Mont Alto cut the deficit to two at 10-8 before a 10-3 rally from Hazleton put the set out of reach. Leading 20-11, Hazleton cruised to a 25-16 win and a 2-1 lead. 

With their backs to the wall, Mont Alto still had fight left, and grabbed a 6-1 advantage in the fourth set. However, Hazleton bounced back to cut it to 9-8 before a 5-0 run gave them a 13-9 lead. The match was tied eight times from there, but Hazleton scored the last two points to win 25-23 and grab the title.

Mont Alto was led by Leslie Huckle with 17 kills, while Arianna Davey and Elizabeth Trella each added 10. Katie Sinks and Zoey McCormack dished out 23 and 17 assists, respectively, and added 21 and 17 digs as well. Ashlyn Vandenbree also added 21 digs for the Mont Alto defense. 

Penn State Hazleton earns the PSUAC's automatic bid into the 2024 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Volleyball Division II National Championship tournament, slated for November 7-9 at Penn State Fayette's Community Center. Mont Alto will await its fate as it hopes for an at-large berth and an opportunity to defend its national titles from 2022 and 2023.