Brandywine Rolls In Final Road Match

LA PLUME, Pa. – The Penn State Brandywine volleyball team eased to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-18) sweep at Keystone during the Lions' final road match of the regular season on Tuesday night.

The Lions got out to a slow start, trailing 12-11 during the first set, but three kills from Hailey Piccirillo (Broadlands, Va./Virginia Academy) and two aces by Emmalin Molinaro (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) spurred a 6-1 Lions' run to put Brandywine in front 17-13. The Giants rallied to tie the count at 19-19; however, Brandywine rattled off the final six points of the set, including four Aaliyna Patel (Bowie, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) aces, to claim the opening frame.

After Keystone trimmed a four-point Brandywine lead to just one point at 11-10 during the second period, Brandywine answered with 12 of the next 15 points, capped by a Piccirillo kill, to take command.

The Lions surged in front 10-2 to begin the final set and never let their lead dip below five points to collect their fifth conference sweep.

Piccirillo totaled a team-high eight kills, while Molinaro tallied six and Nia Moore (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) tallied five. Shayla Howell (Newark, Del./St. George's Tech) collected 12 assists and Laura Jezyk (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) posted nine. Molinaro and Patel tied for the team lead with four aces each.

Patel also topped the team with eight digs, while Shannon Phillips (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) tallied six and Ava De La Osa (Dania Beach, Fla./Nova) recorded five.

Brandywine (12-10, 6-3 UEC) wraps up the regular season Thursday against Penn State Harrisburg at 7:00 PM.