PHOENIXVILLE, PA --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College women's volleyball competed in a non-conference tri-match Saturday on the road against the University of Valley Forge Patriots and the Medgar Evers College Cougars. The Cardinals opened with a five-set thriller (17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 17-15) to take down the Patriots (2-8) before falling in three sets (25-23, 25-21, 25-17) to the Cougars (1-7) inside Valley Forge's The Pit. York has now won four straight five-set matches since the 2015 season.     

Game 1: York 3, Valley Forge 2 (17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 17-15)

First Set Breakdown

• The Patriots got off to a 7-2 start helped with two aces from Rhena Lauver.
• A pair of aces by York's Simranjit Kaur fueled a 4-0 blitz to make the score 7-6.
• Valley Forge responded with a 6-2 run to extend its edge to five (13-8).
• The Cardinals took their first lead of the set (14-13) after claiming five points on Samantha Panameno's serve.
• Level at 16, the Patriots took command with a 7-0 burst to lead 23-16.
• Mattayah Lyndaker's service ace finalized the 25-17 scoreline.

Second Set Breakdown

• Another two aces from Lauver buoyed a 6-0 beginning for Valley Forge.
• Both teams traded the following 20 points as the Cardinals trimmed the deficit to four (15-11).
• A 5-1 spurt by the Patriots gave them a set-high eight-point advantage (20-12).
• York made it close once again (24-20) before an attack error clinched the stanza for Valley Forge.

Third Set Breakdown

• The Patriots led 4-1 early on.
• Storming back, three kills by York's Jachimma Onwuamaegbu spearheaded a 9-0 run to give the Cardinals a 10-4 advantage.
• Two aces by Jasmine Dias extended York's edge to eight (13-5).
• Ahead 14-8, the Cardinals took command with a 9-0 blitz to have a season-high 15-point edge (23-8).
• Behind 24-10, Valley Forge racked off eight consecutive points before a Panameno kill gave York the set. 

Fourth Set Breakdown

• Three points by Madeline Oakley buoyed Valley Forge to a 5-2 advantage.
• Both schools traded 5-0 runs, with the Patriots winning 10-7 after 17 points. 
• In another large momentum swing, the Cardinals went on a 10-0 burst to open up a 17-10 lead. 
• With Valley Forge inching their way closer, York maintained separation, holding onto a 23-20 scoreline.
• A kill by Maritza Ortega Ramirez helped clinch a 25-20 victory.

Fifth Set Breakdown

• A back-and-forth last stanza, Madison Plaza's ace gave York a 4-3 edge.
• With both squads trading one-point leads, Plaza's kill to make it 12-10 gave the Cardinals possible breathing room.
• The Patriots claimed the following three points to go up 13-12. 
• Both teams split the next four scores as Valley Forge served for match point (15-14).
• In a dramatic turn of events, York won the final three points to claim a 17-15 fifth set victory. 
• Ultimately, the frame featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes.

Leading the Cardinals

• Pushing to five sets for the sixth time dating back to the 2015 season, the Cardinals were led by Ortega Ramirez's 14-point effort, as she finished with eight aces and six kills to go along with nine digs.  
• Kaur followed with six points on three aces and three kills. 
• Panameno's 14 assists moved York's offense while she also contributed three aces and five digs.  
• Onwuamaegbu slammed down three kills.  
• Dias served three aces and compiled six digs as Maria Ventura scooped nine digs.

For Valley Forge

• Lauver combined 10 aces and seven kills to pace Valley Forge with 17 points.  She also added 13 digs to her performance to notch a double-double.  
• Oakley totaled eight kills.  
• Abigail Sumego dished out 13 assists.  
• Defensively, the Patriots were led by Jada Flint (two blocks) and Telia Robinson (17 digs).

Inside the Box Score
York finished with a season-best effort in points (39), aces (19), kills (20), assists (16) and total attacks (91).  The Cardinals attacked at a -.022 clip, while the Patriots hit -.083. Valley Forge edged York in points (54-39), kills (25-20), aces (27-19), assists (24-16) and digs (43-39).  Both teams drew even in blocks (2-2).

Game 2: Medgar Evers 3, York 0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-17)

First Set Breakdown

• Trailing 7-4, a 5-0 spurt gave York a 9-7 advantage.
• Medgar Evers exploded for their own 5-0 run, turning a one-point deficit (12-11) into a 16-12 lead.
• The Cardinals claimed four consecutive points to level the score at 16.
• Kills by Jasmine Vega, Plaza, and Kaur gave York a two-point (20-18) edge.
• Leading 23-20 after a pair of kills by York's Alicia Gumbs, the Cougars grabbed back momentum by claiming five straight points to win a 25-23 thriller. 

Second Set Breakdown

• Jeana Clemons' smackdown punctuated a 3-0 start by the Cardinals.
• Medgar Evers followed a slow start with a 6-1 burst to lead 6-4.
• A competitive battle, the Cougars had the upper hand 16-12. 
• Onwuamaegbu's kill solidified a 5-0 Cardinal burst to take a 17-16 advantage.
• Behind 21-18, York rallied to tie the score at 21 after Panameno's ace.
• Smackdowns by Aliyah Chapman and Britonya Lloyd pushed Medgar Evers to a 25-21 triumph.

Third Set Breakdown

• Controlling play early on, the Cardinals led 10-7 after 17 points.
• The Cougars outmatched York over the next 13 points, as Adacia Scotland's ace gave them a 16-14 edge.
• Leading 17-16, Medgar Evers utilized an 8-1 burst to clinch a straight-set victory. 

Leading the Cardinals 

• Ortega Ramirez had a team-high seven points (four kills and three aces).
• Gumbs tied a career-best with six kills after hitting at a great .400 rate on 15 attempts. 
• Onwuamaegbu added a career-high five kills.
• Vega scooped up a team-leading six digs, and Panameno moved the attack with 17 assists.

For Medgar Evers

• Jennifer Metra led the match with 11 points and nine kills.
• Lloyd totaled eight kills and solidified the defensive end with nine digs.
• Maritza Aguerta matched Lloyd's mark of nine digs, and Scotland accumulated four assists.

Inside the Box Score
York hit .108 on 83 chances as Medgar Evers attacked at a .169 rate on 65 swings. Outside of the scoreline, York had a slim edge in points (31-30), kills (25-21), and assists (19-10), while the Cougars had more aces (7-6) and digs (29-28).

Up Next
The Cardinals (1-5, 0-1 CUNYAC) return to home court Tuesday (Sept. 24) against the Lehman College Lightning (2-6, 0-1 CUNYAC) in a CUNYAC battle starting at 7 p.m. inside York College Gymnasium.

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