GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team started its 2022 schedule on the road Friday evening, competing in the annual Gettysburg College Battlefield Classic.

The Lions (0-2) suffered 3-1 losses to non-conference opponents Messiah University and Montclair State University.

Match One: Messiah 3, Penn State Altoona 1

Messiah grabbed an early lead in the match by winning the first two sets by scores of 25-12 and 25-21. Penn State Altoona avoided the sweep by taking the third set 25-16, but Messiah won the fourth set 25-18 to prevail in the match.

Lydia Mock (Alum Bank, PA/Chestnut Ridge) had a team-high 12.5 points for the Lions with 12 kills and one block assist to go along with six digs. Lacee Barnhart (Bellefonte, PA/Bald Eagle) totaled a match-high 14 digs and chipped in six kills, and Taylor Myers (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch) had 12 points with six kills, three solo blocks, and a match-high three service aces.

Kayla Moran (Boalsburg, PA/State College) put up 25 assists and added eight digs.

Erin Lutz (State College, PA/State College) finished with 11 digs and added three assists. Morgan Fussell (Blairsville, GA/Union County) led all players in the match with six solo blocks and also contributed six kills.

Match Two: Montclair State 3, Penn State Altoona 1

Montclair State won the opening set 25-19 before Penn State Altoona countered with a 25-22 victory in the second set to even the score. But the Red Hawks pulled out a 27-25 victory in the third to reclaim the lead, then wrapped up the match with a 25-19 decision in the fourth set.

Mock led Penn State Altoona with 14 points on 12 kills and two service aces, while Myers had 13 points on seven kills, three solo blocks, two block assists, and two aces. Mock also contributed 15 digs, and Barnhart recorded nine kills while amassing a team-high 22 digs.

Moran posted a match-high 41 assists to go along with 15 digs and four kills, and Taylor Kilmer (Julian, PA/Bald Eagle) also had four kills.

Fussell had three solo blocks and three kills, and Makenna Port (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) had two solo blocks and four kills. Kayla Nothstein (Palmerton, PA/Palmerton) totaled three kills and a solo block.

Lutz finished with nine digs while chipping in four assists, and Karlie Feathers (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) had six digs.

Penn State Altoona returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, September 3, for the second and final day of the Battlefield Classic. The Lions will start their day at 11:00 a.m. against Bridgewater College before taking on Gallaudet University at 1:00 p.m.