ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Cedar Crest College volleyball team defeated Keystone College in four sets on Tuesday night at Lees Gymnasium in United East Conference play, with scores of 22-25, 25-18, 25-3, 25-15.

The Falcons' strong serving performance featured 21 aces, contributing to their victory.

Cedar Crest started the first set strong with an early 3-0 lead, capitalizing on errors by Keystone. Junior Maiya Piccarreta (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone Area) and first-year Kayla Duenkel (Central Square, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) contributed significantly, with Piccarreta's ace and Duenkel's kills helping to extend the lead. The Falcons maintained momentum with first-year Jasmine Beck's (Allentown, Pa./Building 21) service ace and continued scoring contributions from Duenkel and senior Tianlly Davila (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Governor Thomas Johnson), building an 8-2 advantage. The Giants responded, narrowing the gap with a series of points, including a service ace by first-year Rachel Davis (Mont Belvieu, Texas). Keystone rallied to tie the score at 17-17, but Cedar Crest regained the lead with a kill from senior Ellise Everett (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona). In a tense closing sequence, the Giants surged ahead, eventually taking the set 25-22.

The Falcons opened the second set with strong momentum, initiated by Everett's offensive contribution, including multiple kills facilitated by Davila. This early offensive push helped Cedar Crest build a 3-0 lead. Despite a brief response from Keystone, the Falcons maintained control with consistent scoring, reaching an 8-4 advantage. In the middle of the set, the home team weathered a rally from the Giants that tied the score at 9-9. Cedar Crest regained the lead through key plays, including a service ace by first-year Phoebe Pietila (Hayesville, N.C./Hayesville), extending their margin to 12-9. As the set progressed, the Falcons capitalized on the Giants' errors to sustain their lead. Towards the close of the set, Cedar Crest secured their position with another series of effective plays, highlighted by Curran's service aces. The set concluded on a service ace from first-year Samantha Fitzpatrick (Royse City, Texas/Community), resulting in a 25-18 victory for the home team.

Cedar Crest dominated the third set, showcasing a strong opening with Davila's service ace. Davila continued to impact the game significantly, assisting Everett on multiple kills and delivering several service aces, propelling the Falcons to a commanding 17-0 lead. The team's momentum was further bolstered by Curran and Piccarreta contributing points, maintaining Cedar Crest's offensive pressure. Keystone managed to break the Falcons' run with a few points, but the Falcons quickly regained control. Everett's consistent performance, including a pivotal service ace and a kill from Duenkel, extended the Cedar Crest advantage. The set finished with the Falcons capitalizing on a service error from Keystone, securing a 25-3 victory in the set.

Cedar Crest entered the fourth set with momentum, quickly overcoming an initial deficit to the Giants. Piccarreta and Davila catalyzed the shift with a series of key plays. Curran's consecutive service aces helped the Falcons take the lead at 4-3 and extend it further. Cedar Crest maintained their advantage with strong contributions from Everett and Duenkel, who capitalized on opportunities set by Davila. The team widened the gap to 10-4 through effective offensive execution. The set rounded out with the Falcons firmly in control, propelled by a series of kills from Everett and a closing run including two more aces by Curran. Cedar Crest sealed the set and match with a 25-15 victory.

Ellise Everett (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) led the team with 22 kills, hitting at a .543 percentage, and added a service ace across four sets. Davila contributed significantly with 38 assists and recorded eight service aces. Piccarreta was active defensively, posting 17 digs. Pietila also made a defensive impact, registering 27 digs.

First-year Nataly Bermudez (Las Vegas, Nev.) stood out with her defensive efforts, tallying 24 digs over four games, showcasing her ability to anchor the back row. First-year Jamilah Higgins (Cincinnati, Ohio) contributed with a .500 attack percentage, amassing four kills on eight attempts without an error. Davis added to the frontline with five kills and an impressive three total blocks, including two solo blocks, while also serving two aces. First-year Naema Alatorre (Brownsville, Texas) was crucial in setting up plays with nine assists and also contributed two service aces.

Cedar Crest (4-18 overall, 3-3 United East) hits the road for a tri-match on Saturday, October 18. The Falcons will face St. Mary's College of Maryland in a conference match at noon before concluding non-conference action against Eastern University at 2:00 p.m. Keystone (1-18 overall, 0-5 United East) will have a quick turnaround as the Giants travel to Penn State Harrisburg for a league match on Wednesday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m.