SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University volleyball team delivered its most efficient performance of the season Friday night as it swept Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opponent West Chester at Heiges Field House by set scores of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-8.
 
Shippensburg (14-6, 5-1 PSAC) hit .352 from the floor, crunching 43 kills and committing a season-low 11 attack errors. SU also totaled seven blocks and served eight aces. West Chester (8-8, 2-4) committed 17 attack errors, including 15 in the final two sets, and hit just .068 from the floor.
 
Junior Kat Negron and freshman Gracen Nutt paced the Raider offense, each swinging over .500 for the night. Negron hit .591, posting a season-high 14 kills with just one attack error to go along with two aces and four digs. Nutt swung .556, delivering 11 kills alongside three blocks and an ace. It was Nutt's 10th performance with double-digit kills.
 
For Negron, it was an especially momentous night, as she entered Friday's match with just seven kills on the season. With starting libero Shay Kolivoski out with an injury, SU tweaked its lineup and Negron delivered offensively in her first start of the season.
 
Sophomore Kearstin Davis was steadfast in the setter spot, recording 33 assists, four digs, and an ace. Junior Emily Gardner transitioned into the libero role in Kolivoski's absence and posted team highs in both digs (12) and aces (three).
 
The Raiders also had a strong night at the net as seven different players contributed to a block. Senior Kaitlyn Townsend was the defensive highlight as she posted her fifth five-block performance of the season and contributed seven kills.
 
Shippensburg never trailed in the bookend sets. It roared out to a strong start in the first set, scoring 19 of its 25 points on kills and swinging .457 from the floor in the opening frame. SU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set and never looked back, as Negron racked up three kills during the early run, which was capped by a Berkley Simmons ace.
 
The Golden Rams managed to stay within striking distance, twice cutting their deficit to just two points. But the Raiders closed the frame with a 3-0 spurt to take a 1-0 lead thanks to kills from Negron and Townsend and a West Chester error.
 
WCU answered by taking an 8-3 lead early in the second set. The hosts took seven of the next nine points, however, including three kills by Nutt, to erase the Golden Ram advantage. The Raiders later rattled off eight straight points with Negron at serve to take the lead for good.
 
SU completed the sweep of the Golden Rams in dominant fashion, with aces from Davis, Negron and Gardner part of a 17-3 start to the third and final frame. The match concluded with senior Jordan Bowen and freshman Natalya Montague combining for a block.
 
Shippensburg hosts Millersville at 1 p.m. Saturday at Heiges Field House.