Women's Volleyball Announces 2012 Schedule, Including Four DIII Opponents

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. - Penn State Fayette has released their 2012 women's volleyball schedule, and fourth year head coach Nancy Wheeler will lead her squad in search of their fifth consecutive Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference title.

The Roaring Lions will compete in 31 regular season contests, including two pre-conference tournaments, before a 16-game conference schedule closes out the season. Fayette will try to extend their conference winning streak, as the Roaring Lions closed out last year's PSUAC Finals with their 30th straight conference win. Fayette has won the last four PSUAC Championships, and five of the last seven.

Fayette returns senior all-time kills leader Leah Ambrosini (Connellsville, Pa.), the three-time defending conference Player of the Year and a three-time United States Collegiate Athletic Association All-American. Joining her are sophomores Janelle Cooper (Mount Braddock, Pa.), last year's PSUAC co-Newcomer of the Year and Samantha Helmantoler (Monongahela, Pa.), a PSUAC Honorable Mention in 2011. Other sophomore returnees include Emily Caldwell (Belle Vernon, Pa.), Emily Konter (Brownsville, Pa.), Katlyn Salisbury (Madison, Pa.) and Abbey Tirpak (California, Pa.).

The Roaring Lions open their season at the Penn State Greater Allegheny/USCAA Tip-Off on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, where they will clash with perennial USCAA powers Rochester College, Marygrove and Cincinnati-Clermont, and PSUAC rival Penn State Beaver. Fayette follows the tournament with a tri-match against NCAA Division III opponents Pitt-Greensburg and Bethany College on Sept. 5, before heading to La Roche for their second annual invitational on Sept. 7-8. Fayette won the First Annual La Roche College Volleyball Invitational in 2011, sweeping the host in the finals.

After traveling to Point Park on Sept. 12 and Carlow on Sept. 15, the Roaring Lions jump into conference play at Penn State Greater Allegheny on Sept. 19. The home opener comes a night later, as Fayette plays host to Point Park. The conference home opener follows a week later against Penn State Beaver at 7 p.m., as the annual "Tailgate" coincides with the Roaring Lions action on Sept. 27. Students, faculty and staff are invited to join us for free food, prizes and entertainment, while all are welcome for the game and a bonfire and concert to follow the match.

Other notable matches for Fayette include a Sept. 29 meeting with perennial PSUAC contender Penn State Mont Alto in a quad match at Penn State York, and a rematch of last years PSUAC Finals with Penn College on Oct. 14 at Fayette.

The Roaring Lions close their regular season at Penn State New Kensington on Oct. 21, with PSUAC Playoffs scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Oct. 23. For the first time in three years, the PSUAC Finals will not be played in Rec Hall, as the conference's regular season champion will play host to the semifinals and finals due to a facility conflict.