The Shippensburg University volleyball team dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) showdown to host Gannon in straight sets on Saturday but only by the narrowest of margins, with scores of 26-24, 25-22 and 26-24.
 
Shippensburg (12-2, 1-1 PSAC) and Gannon (13-1, 2-0) entered Saturday with identical one-loss records and played a match that was reflective of their status as the two of the conference's premier teams. With the exception of one four-point advantage for SU in the third set, neither team ever held a lead of more than three points in any set in the entire match.
 
Both teams swung above .200 (Gannon – .240, Shippensburg – .221), and were within two digs of the other.
 
Sophomore Morgan DeFloria had a team-high 11 kills with a .233 hitting percentage, adding three blocks and three digs. Senior Annie Goerl had a double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs, served two aces and swung .242 with two just two errors.
 
Senior Maura Nolan was credited with 31 assists, recorded 14 digs, and had three kills without an error on a .375 hitting effort. Fellow senior Maria Peluso led the team with 18 digs and added five assists.
 
Freshman Kendall Johnson had eight kills to just two errors, swinging .353 with three block assists. Fellow freshmen Gabriella Johnson and Samantha Webber each added four kills.
 
Shippensburg returns home next weekend for a pair of PSAC matches, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday versus Slippery Rock from Heiges Field House.