Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (9/4/2025) - Gwynedd Mercy University (3-1) took a leg up in the all-time Griffins/Nittany Lions rivalry (7-6) and got revenge on last year's 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-22 on Sept. 4, 2024) loss to Penn State Abington (1-3) with this evening's thrilling 3-2 (25-15, 21-25, 33-31, 23-25, 15-9) triumph. The Griffins and Nittany Lions 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, senior setter Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.) and junior outside hitter Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) 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. Senior middle hitter Charlotte Pugh (Philadelphia, Pa.) (17.0 points; 16 kills, 2 block assists) and sophomore middle hitter Emma Hastings (Collingswood, N.J.) (9 kills, 1 solo block, 2 block assists) joined Etter in double-digit points; the former also led five Griffins in double-digit digs with 23.



Griffin Highlights

• Gwynedd Mercy University played well off the opening serve, using a 7-2 run to fuel a 17-9 perch and an eventual 25-15 win. The Griffins hit .355 (15K-4E-31TA) and celebrated four aces in the frame.
• In the third set, the score only separated by more than two points twice; the first was a five-point Griffin run that gave the home team a 15-12 advantage and the second was a series of Penn State Abington mishaps that led to the 33-31 conclusion. 
• The Red and Gold gave the Nittany Lions very little room for error in the deciding set with a match-best .389 (8K-1E-18TA) hitting percentage.
• Pugh and Gaston were joined in double-digit digs by sophomore libero Marley Robbins (Medford, N.J.) (12), freshman outside hitter P.J. Mendoza (Kennett Square, Pa.) (18), and freshman right side Brynn Crooks (Philadelphia, Pa.) (20).
• Gwynedd Mercy University totaled six team blocks with two solo blocks and four assisted denials. Hastings, Pugh, and Gaston were aided in the net effort by freshman freshman outside hitter Hannah George (Clay, N.J.), who offered a solo and an assist.

Gwynedd Mercy University has plenty of time to recoup from this evening's battle as they return to action next Wednesday, September 11, when they host Alvernia University for a 6:00 p.m. opening serve.