The month of October has not been kind to Pitt-Johnstown women’s volleyball team as the Lady Cats have won only three games in the month’s first 19 days.
The team has gone 3-6 since dominating Cheyney University 3-0 in their first game of the month.
After a victory against Slippery Rock in the team’s first game of their second conference crossover, it has been downhill.
The team went on to lose the remaining games in the crossover, losing 3-1 to Gannon University Oct. 10 in Slippery Rock.
The next day, the team traveled to Edinboro where they were upended by the Fighting Lady Scots, 3-2 and then thrashed by Mercyhurst University, 3-0 to close out the crossover.
The Lady Cats then visited former West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe West Liberty University Oct. 15, losing 3-1 and stretching their losing streak to four matches.
“Every team comes across bumps in the road. We just simply have to fix the little things in our play and keep up our energy,” all-time ace leader in Pitt-Johnstown history, senior setter Nikki Oakes said.
“Intensity and energy is a big part of the game and can change the direction of play at any time, as long as we keep the energy up, we will overcome this little bump in the road.”
The team was able to overcome the streak by dominating a 3-12 (as of Oct. 19) Millersville University last Friday 3-0 in Pitt-Johnstown’s first home match in 20 days.
The freshmen trio of Cambria Weirman, Delaney Roman and Kendall Mahony led the way in kills with 36 between them.
The Lady Cats could not enjoy their victory for too long as they had another home meeting against a team that had got the better of them on three occasions last season, Shippensburg University.
Things were no different this time around either; Pitt-Johnstown could not overcome mental mistakes that lead to Shippensburg winning 3-1.
The Raiders frontline was giving the Lady Cats fits on the attack, Shippensburg ended up with 18 total team blocks.
Pitt-Johnstown had come out in the first set ready to win by upending Shippensburg 25-15 after starting on an 11-4 run.
Shippensburg was able to respond in similar fashion winning set two 25-17 with no lead change.
The Raiders were able to close out the match in four sets with two straight nailbiters (25-23, 25-22) to silence the Lady Cats for a fourth time in two seasons.
The team also has been feeling the effects of losing arguably their best player to injury.
Sophomore outside hitter Marissa Erminio has been sidelined since Sept. 26 with a torn knee ligament.
Assistant coach Justin Haupt said recover time is expected to be six to eight months
“She is a hardworker and she will bounce back,” Haupt said about Erminio.
“I expect her to be a stronger player after the injury than she was before it.”
