YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Youngstown State volleyball took care of business on its home floor Friday afternoon, using a balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive performance to knock off Oakland in four sets, 3-1, inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.
The Penguins claimed the Horizon League victory by set scores of 25-14, 25-22, 20-25, and 25-23, improving to 12-12 overall and 8-5 in conference play. Oakland dropped to 11-14 overall and 6-7 in the league.
Youngstown State featured three players with double-digit kills as Kylie Surratt, Layne Graffice, and Abbie Householder each finished with 10. Ava Stratton added eight kills, while Wrigley Takats controlled the net with a match-high five blocks. Journey Nicola anchored the back row with 17 digs.
The Penguins established control early, racing out to a 6-1 advantage in the opening set and never allowing the Golden Grizzlies to find their rhythm. Oakland trimmed the deficit to 8-5, but YSU responded with a 4-1 run, capped by a Stratton kill, to extend the lead to 12-6.
A service ace from Takats pushed the Penguins ahead 20-10 before Householder delivered an ace to finish off the dominant 25-14 opening-set victory. Youngstown State limited Oakland to a negative .026 hitting percentage in the frame.
YSU carried that momentum into the second set, building an 8-3 lead before stretching the advantage to 19-10. The Penguins were particularly sharp offensively, recording 17 kills against just four errors for an impressive .406 hitting percentage in the set.
Oakland refused to go quietly, however, rallying to within 23-21 behind a service ace from Delaney Stern. Surratt answered the challenge with two crucial kills, allowing Youngstown State to escape with a 25-22 victory and take a commanding two-set advantage.
The Golden Grizzlies responded in the third, overcoming a 16-11 deficit to even the score at 19. Oakland then seized control down the stretch, winning six of the final seven points to claim the set 25-20 and extend the match.
With an opportunity to close things out, Youngstown State found itself in a battle throughout the fourth set.
Oakland grabbed a 17-14 advantage before the Penguins rallied to tie the score at 17. With the teams deadlocked again at 18, YSU delivered three consecutive points to move ahead 21-18.
Householder provided a critical kill down the line to put Youngstown State on the doorstep of victory at 24-20, but Oakland fought off three consecutive match points to make things interesting.
The Penguins finally secured the victory when Oakland’s Molly Reck sent an attack long, sealing the 25-23 fourth-set win and the conference triumph.
Youngstown State finished the afternoon hitting .206 compared to Oakland’s .145. The Penguins also held a 14-9 advantage in total blocks and a 6-3 edge in service aces, overcoming Oakland’s 53-49 advantage in kills.
Graffice added three service aces to her 10-kill performance, while Householder and Surratt each contributed to the Penguins’ balanced attack.
The victory gave Youngstown State another important result in the Horizon League standings as the regular season approached its final stretch.
The two teams were scheduled for a quick turnaround, with Youngstown State traveling to Rochester, Michigan, for a Saturday rematch against Oakland at 4 p.m. inside the OU Credit Union O’Rena. That contest marked the Penguins’ final scheduled road match of the regular season.