LA PLUME, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College volleyball team dropped a four-set match, 3-1, at Keystone College on Tuesday night in a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) bout at the Gambal Athletic Center.

The Giants won by set scores of 25-16, 27-25, 19-25, and 25-19.

The Falcons got out to a 6-2 lead in the opening set, but Keystone embarked on a 16-3 run to double up Cedar Crest, 18-9. The Falcons cut the deficit to five, 21-16, after a late 4-1 spurt, but the Giants rattled off four straight points to take the first set, 25-16.

Cedar Crest built another early advantage in the second set, going up 6-1 after back-to-back service aces from junior Daja Jackson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Gilbert ). The stanza remained tight as the lead went back-and-forth after a string of 4-0 runs. Keystone created a little separation with three straight points to make it 19-16, but the Falcons closed the margin to one after a kill from sophomore Alexis Cummins (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge). Cedar Crest went up 24-22 after an error by the Giants, but Keystone closed on a 5-1 run to capture the frame, 27-25.

The teams traded first 24 points of the third set before either squad could get an advantage. The Falcons went on an 8-0 run to grab a 20-12 lead before coming away with the set, 25-19.

With Cedar Crest up 16-13 in the latter stages of the fourth set, the Giants strung together five straight points to grab an 18-16 lead. Cedar Crest scored two points in a row, but Keystone closed on a 7-1 run to win the fourth set, 25-19, and the match, 3-1.

First-year Rebecca Jackson (Quakertown, Pa.) paced the Giants with 12 kills and added 10 digs. First-year Hannah Ankerbrand-Ochoa (Germantown, Md.) handed out a match-high 28 assists while first-year Hailey Herneisey (Middletown, Pa.) tallied 13 digs and four service aces.

Senior Kelsee Schouppe (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) guided the Falcons with 11 kills and added one block in the setback. Cummins pitched in 10 kills and 11 digs while junior Ziah Melton (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) recorded five kills and a match-high five blocks. Junior Ava Grapsy (Macungie, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) registered 26 assists while classmate Rebekka Sanchez-Castro (Columbia, Md./Atholton) recorded 12 digs.

Cedar Crest (6-7 overall, 3-1 CSAC) will travel to Cabrini University on Friday, October 14 for its non-conference finale at 6:00 p.m. Keystone (8-9 overall, 3-1 CSAC) welcomes in SUNY Delhi on Thursday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m.

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