INSTITUTE, W. Va. — Senior outside hitter Katlynn Dunlap recorded a career-high 28 kills in the finale as Urbana volleyball capped the MEC/PSAC Crossover with a pair of straight-set wins on Saturday over Kutztown and IUP. UU finishes the weekend with a 2-2 record.
The Blue Knights (2-6) started the day with a morning triumph over Kutztown (2-6), 25-20, 25-22, 26-24. Dunlap and Aleese Butler led the way with 14 and 10 kills, respectively, while Katlynn posted 17 digs for her second double-double. Maia Dunlap led defensively with a team-high 21 digs and freshman duo Anna Davis and Deandra Atwood each handed out 17 assists.
In the match-clinching set, UU trailed 24-22 before rattling off three straight kills from K. Dunlap, Butler and Madison Davis for the 25-24 lead. Then, a setting error by Kutztown sealed the come-from-behind win for the Blue Knights.
UU moved on to defeat IUP (5-3) in another 3-0 victory, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23. The Blue Knights continued their strong play in clutch moments, led by K. Dunlap’s 28 kills and .532 attack percentage. Maia Dunlap produced another round of 21 digs to raise her season total to 4.64 digs per set, while Anna Davis dished out a season-high 28 assists.
UU produced its best team hitting percentage of the season at .254 after going above .200 in all three sets.
In the first set against the Crimson Hawks, the two sides were tied 19-19 until the Blue Knights went on a 5-1 run for the 24-20 lead. IUP responded with two points to make it close, but a K. Dunlap kill ended the threat for a 1-0 lead.
UU captured the second set 25-18 after jumping out to a 6-0 lead and then solicited another comeback to clinch a third-set victory. The Blue Knights trailed 21-18 but two kills from freshman Kaitlin Trace and K. Dunlap, followed by an IUP attack error, knotted the score.
IUP responded with two points to go back ahead, but UU dialed in and registered the next four points which included the match-ending kill from Katlynn Dunlap off an assist from sister Maia Dunlap.
Up next:
The Blue Knights open the home slate next weekend with the Third Annual UU Invitational set for Friday-Saturday, Sept. 15-16.
