Gaston and Etter Earn AEC Women’s Volleyball Honor Roll Recognition
Lancaster, Pa. – (9/9/2025) – Gwynedd Mercy University senior setter/right side
Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.) and junior outside hitter/defensive specialist
Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) were recently selected to the
Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Women’s Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll for their play in matches versus York College (PA) (L, 1-3; 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 27-29 on Sept. 3) and Penn State Abington (W, 3-2; 25-15, 21-25, 33-31, 23-25, 15-9 on Sept. 4). Gaston finished the week with 12.5 points (6 kills, 5 aces, 3 block assists), 72 assists, and 19 digs, while Etter totaled 30.0 points (30 kills), an assist, and nine digs.
The AEC Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week award went to Marywood University sophomore opposite/right side Genevieve Pollock (Wallkill, N.Y.), while the Specialist of the Week honor went to her teammate, sophomore defensive specialist Catie Woolf (Fremont, Ohio). Gaston and Etter were joined on the AEC Women’s Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll by Saint Elizabeth University sophomore defensive specialist Alyssa Wells (Castle Rock, Colo.) as well as Marymount University duo; freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Hailey LaBonte (Portsmouth, R.I.) and senior setter Jessica Rothermel (Highland, Md.).
In a highly competitive home opener, York College (2-1) grabbed the upper hand with back-to-back set wins; 25-20, 25-23. Gwynedd Mercy University (3-1) looked to turn the tide with a 25-22 win in the third set. Unfortunately, a marathon fourth set ended in the visitors' favor; 29-27. Despite the loss, the Griffins scored 13 aces; freshman outside hitter
P.J. Mendoza (Kennett Square, Pa.) led the way with four. Sophomore middle hitter
Emma Hastings (Collingswood, N.J.) (10.5 points; 8 kills, 2 aces, 1 block assist) and Etter (10.0; 10 kills) both scored double-digit points, while Gaston finished the contest with two kills, 27 assists, three aces, and six digs.
The Griffins and Penn State Abington (1-3) split the first four sets with the home team taking the first (25-15) and third (33-31) and the visitors evening the affair with wins in the second (25-21) and fourth (25-23). In the deciding set, Gaston and Etter got the Griffins off to a good start and a brilliant finish as the duo combined four times in the breakaway win; 15-9. Etter finished with 20 kills on a .286 (20K-6E-49TA) hitting percentage, while also recording an assist and five digs. Gaston was good for 45 assists in addition to four kills, two aces, three block assists, and 13 digs.
Gwynedd Mercy University returns to action on Wednesday, September 11, when they host Alvernia University for a 6:00 p.m. opening serve.
