ROCHESTER, MI – Youngstown State made sure there would be no need for a fourth set Saturday afternoon, delivering a commanding performance on the road to sweep Oakland, 3-0, inside the OU Credit Union O’Rena.

After knocking off the Golden Grizzlies in four sets Friday in Youngstown, the Penguins completed the weekend sweep with set victories of 25-20, 25-19, and 25-17, improving to 13-12 overall and 9-5 in Horizon League play.

The victory marked Youngstown State’s second consecutive conference win and gave the Penguins valuable momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

YSU controlled the offensive battle throughout the afternoon, finishing with 45 kills compared to just 25 for Oakland. The Penguins also held a commanding advantage in hitting efficiency, posting a .224 attack percentage while limiting the Golden Grizzlies to just .078.

Youngstown State faced an early challenge in the opening set as Oakland kept pace through the first half of the frame. The teams battled to a 15-15 tie before the Penguins took control with four consecutive points, opening a 19-15 advantage. Oakland refused to go away, battling back to within 21-20 behind kills from Ella Schomer and Liv Hosford. With the opening set hanging in the balance, Youngstown State delivered its first decisive run of the afternoon.

The Penguins rattled off four unanswered points to close the frame, securing a 25-20 victory and taking an early advantage in the match.

Oakland attempted to respond in the second set, building a 12-10 lead as the Golden Grizzlies looked to even the contest.

Youngstown State quickly erased the deficit, tying the score at 12 before the teams traded points to reach a 13-13 deadlock. From there, the Penguins seized control. A service ace, an Oakland setting error, and a kill from Abbie Householder highlighted a three-point YSU surge that turned the tie into a 16-13 advantage.

Youngstown State maintained its momentum throughout the remainder of the set, closing out a 25-19 victory to take a commanding two-set lead.

With an opportunity to finish the weekend sweep, the Penguins continued applying pressure in the third. Youngstown State’s offensive efficiency and ability to capitalize on Oakland mistakes proved to be too much for the Golden Grizzlies, as YSU completed the sweep with a 25-17 victory.

The Penguins’ balanced attack was a major difference throughout the afternoon. Youngstown State’s 45 kills represented 20 more than Oakland managed in the three-set contest, while the Penguins’ defense prevented the Golden Grizzlies from establishing any consistent offensive rhythm.

Oakland’s Liv Hosford led the Golden Grizzlies with seven kills and seven digs, while Molly Reck contributed six kills and a team-high 12 digs. Setter Delaney Stern finished with 19 assists, and Grace Cooney recorded four blocks. The Golden Grizzlies dropped to 11-15 overall and 6-8 in Horizon League play.

For Youngstown State, the victory capped an impressive 24-hour stretch that saw the Penguins defeat Oakland twice in two different venues.

Friday’s four-set victory at Beeghly Center featured a balanced offensive performance from Kylie Surratt, Layne Graffice, and Householder, who each recorded 10 kills.

Saturday’s rematch demonstrated the Penguins’ ability to carry that momentum onto the road, where they completed the sweep without surrendering a set.

The back-to-back victories also strengthened Youngstown State’s position in the Horizon League standings as the conference tournament approaches.

With the regular season winding down, the Penguins have positioned themselves to finish above .500 overall while continuing to build momentum for postseason competition.