READING, Pa. – Behind a single-game program record 11 service aces from junior Paige Westra, the Albright Lions women's volleyball team opened the 2019 season with a dominant 3-0 victory over Penn State Schuylkill on Friday evening at the Bollman Center.
 
With the win, the Lions have now won four-straight home opening games dating back to the 2016 season. Albright won the sets: 25-11, 25-18, and 25-9.
 
Westra matched a Lions single-game record for service aces that was set in 2001 by Molly O'Connor in four sets. Westra's number was the most service aces by any Lion in three sets in program history. In her first game since 2017, Westra also tied for the team lead with seven kills on the evening, while adding four digs and two assists. Classmate Kaitlyn Chell also tallied seven kills in addition to adding a team-high six digs. Junior Bryana Chambers and freshman Grace Andrefski were the other two Lions with seven kills, while junior Alexa Poss paced the offense with 23 assists.
 
The Lions came out strong in the first set as they notched the first three points of the match before reeling off five-straight to take an 8-2 lead. Following back-to-back Nittany Lion points, Albright responded by taking four of the next five points to go up 12-5. The Nittany Lions tallied three-straight points to get within four before Albright tallied eight of the next 10 points to take a commanding 20-10 lead. Three service aces in that stretch helped pace the Lions as they closed out the set by winning the final five points.
 
In set two, the Lions started strong again as they jumped out to an early 5-1 lead behind a pair of service aces from Westra. The Nittany Lions took three-straight points to make it a 5-4 game before Albright opened the lead back up to 13-5 after taking eight of the next nine points. Penn State Schuylkill then made its best run of the game as they won six of the next seven points to make it 14-11, and force an Albright timeout. However, the Lions were able to maintain the lead and eventually distance themselves with a 21-14 advantage. Albright then put the second set away by taking four of the last six points.
 
The third set fully belonged with Albright as they raced out to a 9-1 lead before eventually rising to a 14-4 advantage. The hot-hitting Lions continued to dominate throughout the third set as they held a lead by as many as 17 points before capping the straight-set sweep with a 25-9 win in set three. Albright hit .571 in the third set and .338 for the whole game.
 
The Lions will return to action on Wednesday, September 4^th as they will host Penn State Brandywine at 6 p.m.