Posted: Sep 28, 2025
WAU Volleyball Battles, Falls in Five-Set Heartbreaker to Penn State Mont Alto
Penn State Mont Alto
(7-7, 4-2)
3
Washington Adventist (MD)
(3-2, 0-0)
2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Penn State Mont Alto (7-7, 4-2) | 23 | 11 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
|
Washington Adventist (MD) (3-2, 0-0) | 25 | 25 | 23 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
TAKOMA PARK, MD – Washington Adventist University volleyball fought through a back-and-forth contest on Sunday night at The Pitt, but the Shock came up just short in a 3-2 loss to Penn State Mont Alto. WAU opened strong with back-to-back set victories before Mont Alto stormed back, winning the decisive fifth set 15-10.
WAU came out firing in front of its home crowd, taking the opening set 25-23 behind aggressive serving and timely swings from Ariyanna Gross and Eden Perkins. Gross sparked the run early with three straight service aces, while Perkins closed the frame with a kill to secure the win.
The Shock carried that momentum into the second set, dominating with a 25-11 victory. Zabria Fakeye was at the center of the surge, registering key kills and blocks, while Jade Rios added a service ace during a stretch that saw WAU pull away.
Penn State Mont Alto showed resilience in the third set, erasing an early WAU lead with strong net play from Elizabeth Trella and Abigail Wagner. The visitors captured a 25-23 win to shift momentum.
Mont Alto then evened the match at 2-2 with a commanding 25-6 performance in the fourth set, capitalizing on WAU errors and serving runs that proved difficult to break.
With the match on the line, WAU jumped ahead 5-1 in the final frame after another serving burst from Gross. But Mont Alto answered with a 9-2 run fueled by Trella and Wagner, taking control and closing out the set 15-10.
Key Performers
- Ariyanna Gross – multiple service aces and steady offense throughout the match
- Eden Perkins – strong presence at the net with kills and blocks
- Zabria Fakeye – key swings and defensive plays in sets one and two
Up Next
The Shock 3-2 will look to regroup quickly as they travel to face Penn State Mont Alto for a rematch in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 30.
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