ABINGTON, Pa. — The Cedar Crest College volleyball team was defeated by Penn State Abington in straight sets, 25-16, 25-16, 25-23, in a United East Conference contest on Saturday at the Athletic Building.

The Falcons initiated the first set with strong momentum, capitalizing on an early attack error by Nittany Lions' junior Zayna Jamaladdin (Philadelphia, Pa.) and a service ace by senior Tianlly Davila (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Governor Thomas Johnson) to take a 3-0 lead. Senior Ellise Everett (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) contributed with a crucial kill to keep the team ahead briefly. However, the home team responded, gradually overtaking Cedar Crest and extending their lead. Midway through the set, Penn State Abington built a 12-5 advantage. In the closing stages, Cedar Crest managed a late push with consecutive points, including another kill by Everett and a service ace by first-year Sophia Curran (Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier), but the Nittany Lions closed the set 25-16.

The Falcons opened the second set with a steady performance, taking advantage of Penn State Abington's attack errors to take an early lead at 3-1. Everett contributed significantly with a key kill, as Davila provided consistent assists. The home team managed to rally back, equalizing the score at 7-7. As the set progressed, the Cedar Crest briefly reclaimed momentum with a service ace from first-year Jasmine Beck (Allentown, Pa./Building 21) and another kill by Everett, bringing the score to 13-12 in the Falcons' favor. However, the Nittany Lions responded with a decisive run, aided by service aces and attacks from Jamaladdin, pulling ahead. The set would end with a score of 25-16 in favor of Penn State Abington.

In the third set, Cedar Crest saw an early momentum shift with Curran delivering multiple kills from Davila's assists, pushing the score to 10-7. Everett and first-year Kayla Duenkel (Central Square, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) added crucial points as the Falcons extended their lead to 16-12. First-year Phoebe Pietila (Hayesville, N.C./Hayesville) contributed a service ace to maintain momentum. The Nittany Lions responded by closing the gap to tie the score at 23-23. Penn State Abington scored two straight points to conclude the frame, securing the set 25-23.

Everett paced Cedar Crest with 11 kills and added one block. Davila contributed significantly with 24 assists and one service ace. Pietila recorded a team-high 17 digs. Beck also made an impact defensively, finishing with 13 digs while adding three service aces to her performance.

Jamaladdin led the Nittany Lions with 14 kills and contributed 15 points across three games, maintaining a .316 hitting percentage. Sophomore Fabiola Medina (Caguas, Puerto Rico) recorded a team-high 17 digs, adding five assists, a service ace, and contributing to the team's defensive efforts. Sophomore Ellie Van Otten (Buckeye, Ariz) made her presence felt with five kills, nine digs, and two service aces, amassing eight points. First-year Naomi Seymour (Aurora, Colo.) was a defensive standout with three total blocks, adding six digs and 5.5 points.

In their next matchup, Cedar Crest (2-17 overall, 1-2 United East) will take on Penn State Berks on the road Wednesday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m. Penn State Abington (9-5 overall, 2-1 United East) faces St. Mary's College of Maryland in a road match on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.