Posted: Oct 22, 2011
No. 1 Seed Roaring Lions Capture 4th Straight Title
October 22, 2011
The scene was familiar.
Katie Sleasman's (Connellville, Pa.) soft set sent the ball rising slowing and majestically into the air only to suddenly change course under the thundering force of Leah Ambrosini's (Connellsville, Pa.) swing . The ball crashed to the floor at Rec Hall and for the fourth consecutive year, the Roaring Lions celebrated a PSUAC volleyball championship.
With Russ Rose, the architect of the Penn State volleyball dynasty looking on, Fayette continued its mastery of the PSUAC by defeating a gritty Penn College team 3-1 to make it four-in-a-row and six in the last seven years.
While there were many players who contributed to the victory, the day belonged to Sleasman, Fayette's lone senior.
She notched a season high 36 assists, surpassing the 2,000 mark for her career. She is believed to be the only PSUAC volleyball player to reach that milestone. For good measure she added 10 digs.
Fayette won by scores of 25-22, 25-16, 16-25 and 25-8 in improving to 26-4 on the season and extending its conference winning streak to 30.
Sleasman wasn't the only one at her best when the chips were down. Ambrosini recorded a seaons high 21 kills.
Fayette's freshman got in on the act as well. Katlyn Salisbury (Madison, Pa.) added eight kills and three blocks, while Samantha Helmantoler (Monongahela, Pa.) also recorded eight kills and three blocks. Janelle Cooper (Mount Braddock, Pa.) had a match-high 11 digs and also added three blocks.
With the win, the third-ranked Roaring Lions earn a berth in the USCAA National Volleyball Championships to be held in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 10-12.
Ryan Ehrie will have a more detailed recap tomorrow.