Brooklyn, N.Y. – (11/7/2026) – Gwynedd Mercy University (4-21, 2-5) came out on top of today's Atlantic East Conference (AEC)
regular season finale at Pratt Institute (9-12, 3-4) as the Griffins took the first (26-24), third (25-18), and fifth (15-13) sets in a 3-2 (26-24, 16-25, 25-18, 26-28, 15-13) marathon match. Senior pin hitter
Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) led the Red and Gold with 12.5 points (11 kills, a block assist, and a solo block) and 15 digs; her first kill was the 1,000
th of her collegiate career. Freshman pin hitter
Cameron Hnat (Pottstown, Pa.) offered a season's best 11.0 points (10 kills, 2 block assists), while sophomore setter showed her versatility with six kills, 19 assists, two aces, two block assists, and 12 digs.
Griffin Highlights
- In the opening set, Gwynedd Mercy University took an early 7-3 lead before a Pratt Institute rally tied the set at 23-23. Following a briefly 24-23 deficit, a Hnat kill, a shared block between Crooks and junior middle hitter Emma Hastings (Collingswood, N.J.), and a Cannoneer attack error left the Griffins on top; 26-24.
- The third set started in similar fashion as the Red and Gold found an 8-4 lead and later extended it to 16-8 prior to the 25-18 conclusion.
- Contrastingly, the Gwynedd Mercy University trailed in the fifth set 7-1 and used a 14-6 run to capture the league victory.
- The Griffins hit .194 (46K-21E-129TA) for the match with .200-plus efforts in the first (.276; 12K-4E-29TA) and third (.267; 12K-4E-30TA) sets.
- Etter's 11 kills and 15 digs was her fourth double-double of the season. She is the third Griffin in program history to reach 1,000 career kills.
- Freshman Carley Leonard (Upper Chichester, Pa.) complemented Etter and Hnat's offensive results with nine kills on a .318 (9K-2E-22TA0 hitting percentage.
- Crooks was joined on the point by fellow sophomore Macie Ferla (Mickleton, N.J.), who totaled five aces and seven digs in excess of her team-high 20 assists.
- Gwynedd Mercy University totaled a season-high 15 aces as well as six team blocks (1 solo block, 10 block assists). Ferla's five aces were matched by junior defensive specialist Marley Robbins (Medford, N.J.), while freshman middle blocker Ava Caton (Folsom, Pa.) (2 block assists) joined Etter, Crooks, Hastings, and Hnat in the block party.
A 2-5 league record establishes Gwynedd Mercy University as the #5 seed for the upcoming 2026 AEC Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament. They will return to #4 Pratt Institute for a 7:00 p.m. First Round match on Tuesday, November 10.
