SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University volleyball team got back on the winning track Tuesday night with an important three-set victory over PSAC East rival Millersville, its seventh-straight win over the Marauders, by set scores of 28-26, 25-18 and 25-23 from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (8-8, 2-5 PSAC) received strong offensive performances from junior Faith Athey, who led the team with 11 kills while hitting .304, and freshman Courtney Malott, who had nine kills, just one error, a career-high four aces and a .348 hitting percentage.
 
In her last two matches, Malott has provided 22 kills on just four errors and a .327 hitting percentage.
 
The Raiders served eight aces, swung .193 as a team and got 18 digs from junior libero Laura Plank to win their first home match of the season.
 
Sophomore Maura Nolan contributed 30 assists, four kills and eight digs while junior Taylor Gottshall had six kills, just one error and five total blocks.
 
SU used key runs in each set to ultimately claim the straight-set win. After rallying from a 20-17 deficit in the first set to claim a 23-21 lead, Millersville (8-7, 2-5) scored three straight to earn a set point. Athey recorded kills at 23-24 and 24-25 to keep the Raiders alive before ultimately winning the frame on a block by Malott and Gottshall.
 
In the second set, SU raced out to a 14-2 lead thanks to a five-serve run by Plank and a six-serve run by Malott. The Marauders did not relent, roaring all the way back to make the score 17-15 before the Raiders ultimately put the frame away.
 
The final set concluded with back-to-back aces by Malott after a Gottshall kill made the score 23-23. Malott had a hand in all three set points, as she concluded the second frame with a kill.
 
Sophomore Rebecca Pryor contributed three key kills in the match, while junior Casey Hawbaker rotated in for seven digs.
 
SU hosts Kutztown at 7 p.m. Friday in another key divisional match from Heiges Field House.