The Lady Barons played aggressively in their four set loss to non-conference opponent Geneva College, ultimately falling with set scores of 25-23, 13-25, 20-25 and 23-25.

"Really, what we're looking for is this kind of match," head coach Kelly Hermann said. "We played really solid defense, we were more aggressive offensively, and we have to continue to make progress in that respect."

Geneva College proved to be a tough opponent with a particularly strong attacking game. The Lady Barons' defense rose to the occasion to keep them in the match. Junior outside hitter Dani Link continued her strong overall performance from the previous match, stepping up defensively to make up for a few hitting errors.

"Dani has been hitting well in the last two matches and playing good defense," Hermann said. "In general, I thought our hitters hit pretty well. We were trying to be aggressive."

The Lady Barons also kept up assertive serving, with eight aces on the night. Junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Christina Lawrence used her serve to keep the Lady Barons in the fourth set late.

"It was nice to see Christina's effort. Her serve, defense, and hitting tonight really helped our team," Hermann said.

Although Herrmann said she was pleased with improvements on the offensive side, she was particularly impressed with the Lady Baron's blocking game against Geneva's strong offense.

Senior setter Amy O'Keefe and sophomore middle hitter Ana Tolkach teamed up to be an effective blocking duo against one of Geneva's best hitters.

"Blocking is really key against a team like that. We did a pretty good job," Hermann said. "When we can take a strong hitter like Geneva's #21 out of her game a little bit, that really helps our defense."

With conference play looming, Hermann said she believes her team is heading in the right direction, focusing on a steady defense and continuous improvements on offense.

She added that the Lady Barons tend to have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

"You can play a lot of opponents that are weaker than you. You can win, and not be able to say that you played well," Hermann said.  "As we get closer to conference play, in every match, we want to be able to say that we played well, and that our offense is improving. That was the case tonight."

As the non-conference schedule winds down, the Lady Barons will continue to seek improvement, looking forward to their next match at Washington and Jefferson on September 22 at 7pm.