Championship Bound! Bison return to title match after a five-set win over Penn State Harrisburg

READING, Pa. – For the second time in a week, Gallaudet University and Penn State Harrisburg played a five-set thriller but the stakes were higher here Friday evening on the campus of Penn St.-Berks. The Bison came out on top with the 3-2 win in the United East tournament semifinals and advance to Saturday’s championship match where they will face No. 4 seed SUNY Morrisville at 2 p.m. The Mustangs took down top-seed Penn St.-Berks, 3-2, in the other semifinal. 

Gallaudet (20-11), the No. 2 seed in the tournament, won the first set 25-17 before Penn State Harrisburg (19-10), the No. 3 seed, won the second match 21-25. The Bison regained the lead in the third set by the same margin, 25-21, to set-up the fourth set which went back-and-forth. In the end, the Lions won 25-23 to force the fifth and final set. The fifth set was close and both teams were knotted at 8-8 before Gallaudet scored seven of the next eight points to win the match.

United East Rookie of the Year Emily Wright (Auburn, Calif.) led the way with a 32-kill performance to go with a .426 hitting percentage. Wright ties her career-high of 32 kills, which ironically she recorded last week against Penn State Harrisburg on Oct. 30. Sophomore setter Emma Giuntoli (Austin, Texas) passed out a career best 55 assists and recorded her ninth double-double as she made 13 digs. United East Player of the Year Karita Lewis (Frederick, Md.) tallied her 16th double-double with 12 kills and 19 digs. Senior opposite Elina Rubinshteyn (Austin, Texas), one of Gallaudet’s three all-conference honorees this season, recorded 15 kills and a .387 hitting percentage. 

“Our intensity won us the match this evening,” said Gallaudet coach Lynn Ray Boren. “Elina stepped up her game as she hit with great efficiency as she bounced back from her last performance against Penn State Harrisburg. Emily Wright continues her monster streak this season with a second 32-kill performance. We look forward to Saturday’s championship match.” 

BISON TRACKS

• Wright’s .426 hitting percentage is the second-highest in a match this season, trails a .429 performance against Hood (Oct. 14)
• Giuntoli has recorded 50 or more assists in five matches this season
• Lewis surpasses 400 kills this season with her 12 kills and is second the team with 408 kills
• GU has won five straight matches
• Gallaudet is 6-2 in five-set matches this season
• The Bison defeated SUNY Morrisville in straight sets last week (Oct. 30)

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