The Shippensburg University volleyball team dropped its opening match to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division opponent Clarion in four sets at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament. Set scores were 20-25, 15-25, 26-24, 14-25. 
 
It was a rematch of the last time these two teams met in the 2023 PSAC Semifinals when Clarion defeated Shippensburg 3-1 to clinch a spot in the conference championship match. 
 
Shippensburg (0-1) rallied from a slow start to claim third set from Clarion (1-0) before the Golden Eagles used a 12-1 scoring stretch in the fourth set to take the match. 
 
SU generated 38 kills over the course of the match, serving five aces and totaling one block. Senior Maddie Clabaugh led the team with seven kills and a block assist. Junior Berkley Simmons (Keedysville, Md./Williamsport) led the team on the back line with four service aces. Junior Kearstin Davis had 28 assists for the Raiders with one service ace and nine digs. On defense, sophomore libero Shay Kolivoski collected 14 digs. 
 
Clarion's Cassidy Snider was excellent, slamming a match-high 17 kills, hitting .302 on 43 attempts. Setter Kylie Barto had 44 assists and eight digs, while Raegan Stader had ten kills for the Golden Eagles. 
 
The first set featured a tight battle, with neither team taking a sizable lead until the middle of the match. A Golden Eagle 4-0 run made it 19-15. The Raiders responded with a pair of kills from Clabaugh, a kill from sophomore Natalya Montague and a Golden Eagle error to come within two points. Two Raider errors and a kill, however, made the match 1-0 Clarion. 
 
Clarion controlled the second set after opening with a 4-1 lead. SU tried to cut the deficit, but Clarion's offense remained hot throughout, giving Clarion the 2-0 advantage. 
 
The third set started in similar fashion with Clarion taking a 6-1 lead to start off. The Raiders followed with a 5-0 run of their own with two service aces from Simmons and tied the set at 6-6. Clarion answered with another 4-0 run and made it 12-7, but the Raiders were able to cut the deficit throughout the set. With the Golden Eagles up 22-18, the Raiders made a huge 4-0 run to tie the set at 22-22. Both teams continued to go back and forth until SU claimed the set 26-24, with two kills from junior Kayla Johnson and an error by Clarion. 
 
The fourth started as a back-and-forth battle between the teams. SU used a 3-0 run to lead 8-5. The Golden Eagles answered with a 12-2 scoring stretch to take the 18-10 advantage. The Raiders were unable to cut the deficit as the Golden Eagles ended the set 25-14, taking the match, 3-1. 
 
Shippensburg continues with two more matches tomorrow at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament, first against Findlay at 10 a.m. and later against Davis & Elkins at 1 p.m.