SHARON, PA – Under the bright lights of the Buhl Club and the energy of a Patriotic Theme Night crowd, the Penn State Shenango Women's Volleyball team battled hard but fell in three straight sets to visiting Kent State-Tuscarawas, 25-10, 25-14, 25-17, on Thursday evening. 

The loss drops Shenango to 1-4 on the season, while Kent State-Tuscarawas improved to 6-2 behind a strong offensive attack. Despite the final score line, Shenango showed flashes of grit and resilience—especially in the third set, where the Lions clawed their way to 17 points before the Golden Eagles sealed the match. 

Leading the way for Shenango was Savana Shipman, who notched five kills and contributed on defense with four digs. Izzy Mauro added three kills and chipped in six points overall, while setter Jadeyn Zepeda directed the offense with 10 assists and added three service aces to spark a late rally in the final frame. On the defensive side, Sydney Ward came up big at the net, recording three block assists to go with three kills, while Amanda Hamilton posted a solid presence with four block assists of her own. 

For Kent State-Tuscarawas, Allie Snyder and Mackenzie Neininger powered the Golden Eagles with 12 kills each, combining for 30.0 points on the night. Setter Allie Keller dished out an impressive 31 assists to keep the offense rolling. Though the Lions struggled with consistency in the attack—finishing with a team hitting percentage of -.059—the effort and energy in front of a lively home crowd gave plenty of signs for optimism as the season progresses. 

The Lions won't have to wait long for redemption. On Saturday, Sept. 13, Shenango returns to the Buhl Club for a conference clash against Penn State Greater Allegheny at 11 AM. The matchup comes with a special student section theme: Steel City Shenanigans, where students are encouraged to pack the gym in black and gold and bring that classic Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates energy to push Shenango back into the win column.