SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Junior Taylor Gottshall broke the school career record for total blocks Friday night as the Shippensburg University volleyball team dispatched PSAC East rival West Chester in straight sets from Heiges Field House. Set scores were 25-20, 25-21 and 25-12.
 
Shippensburg (12-13, 6-10 PSAC) was efficient in its attack, hitting .209 and totaling 18 more kills than West Chester (16-11, 6-10). The victory puts the two teams in a tie for third place in the Eastern Division with six conference games remaining on the schedule.
 
Gottshall, playing in her 100th career contest, had four solo blocks – her most in a match since Oct. 1, 2012 – and a block assist to bring her career total to 404 (83 solo, 319 assist). She also had nine kills without an error, hitting .300, to go along with six digs.
 
Sophomore Annie Goerl had 11 kills on just three errors, swinging a season-best .308, and had a team-high 15 digs for her seventh double-double of the year. She has 26 kills and an impressive .261 hitting percentage over the last two matches.
 
Junior Faith Athey was impressive off the bench in a rotation with junior Casey Hawbaker; Athey had 10 kills on just two errors and hit a team-best .400, Hawbaker provided a spark with 13 digs (including one that went for a kill) and two valuable service aces.   
 
Freshman Courtney Malott tied Goerl for the team high on Friday night with 11 kills, swinging .116 and adding five digs.    
 
Sophomore Maura Nolan chipped in with 36 assists, nine digs and two kills.
 
Junior Laura Plank had seven digs from her libero position and kick-started an SU rally in the third set. Trailing 4-0 to start the frame, the Raiders recorded nine straight points on Plank's serve on what proved to be a 16-4 run.
 
Shippensburg hosts Cheyney and Chowan on Saturday for 1 and 5 p.m. matches from Heiges Field House.