By Ethan Kerr / The Jambar
After the Youngstown State University football team defeated Mercyhurst University on Aug. 27, the YSU volleyball team kicked off its season with the YSU Invitational against Mercyhurst on Aug. 28-29 at Zidian Family Arena inside Beeghly Center. Head coach Riley Jarrett earned her 100th win of her collegiate coaching career.
The ’Guins started the tournament by defeating the Lakers in three sets for Youngstown State’s first win of the season with scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-13. Later in the day, the ’Guins fell to Duquesne University, where Youngstown State won the third set 25-21 and lost the other sets 25-23, 25-19 and 25-15 on Day One.
To start their game against Mercyhurst, the ’Guins went on two 5-point scoring runs, which saw the team up 11-3 in the beginning of the first set.
In their second set, the Penguins posted multiple scoring runs throughout the set, one of which was started by two kills from junior Kylie Surratt in the beginning of the set.
In their final set, the ’Guins jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and finished the set on a 7-0 run. Sophomore Brie Habeeb helped close the set when she scored three points with three aces.
In their win against Mercyhurst, the Penguins set multiple program records. Sophomore Ava Stratton posted 12 kills on 14 attempts and recorded a new program best on individual attacking percentage with 85.7%. Stratton led the team in scoring with 13.5 points in the game.
Junior Ava Prince posted six indivdual aces to tie a program record, while the team as whole posted 14 aces that set a new program record for a three-set rally scoring contest.
The ’Guins also recorded a 37.5% attacking percentage, their best since 2022.
Youngstown State struggled to find success in their second game of Day One against Duquesne. Surratt led the team in scoring with 23 points, followed by sophomore Layne Graffice with 11 points.
Surratt also led the ’Guins in kills with 22, while sophomore Kameron Blizniak led the team in assists with 29. Leading the team in digs for the game was Habeeb with 21.
The ’Guins returned to play Aug. 29, where they defeated Canisius University in three sets with scores of 25-13, 25-18 and 25-20. The victory over Canisius marked Jarrett’s 100th career win.
The ’Guins opened the first set with a 6-0 run where Stratton and Henry scored the final point of the run.
Surratt once again led the team in scoring and kills with 13.5 points and 11 kills. Leading the ’Guins in assists was Blizniak with 17, followed by Prince with 14.
Fifth-year senior and reigning Horizon League player of the year Abbie Householder played in her first game of the season where she scored 11.5 points and recorded nine kills and nine digs.
Next up, the Penguins will travel to Indianapolis to play in the Hampton Inn Invitational against Butler University at 7 p.m., Sept. 3. The team will then play Ohio University at 1 p.m, Sept. 4.
To conclude the tournament, the team will take on Marshall University at 1 p.m., Sept. 5 hosted by Indiana University.