Green Bay volleyball rally falls short in 3-2 loss to YSU

Green Bay — Green Bay Volleyball’s run at the Horizon League Championships came to an end Friday at Truist Arena, but not before the Phoenix nearly pulled off a reverse sweep in a tight 3-2 loss to Youngstown State.

The Penguins controlled the first two sets behind a heavy offensive push from Horizon League Player of the Year Abbie Householder, winning both frames 25-21. Youngstown State’s strong serving stretched Green Bay early, forcing out of system swings and limiting their offensive rhythm.

Down 0-2, the Phoenix fought back hard. Green Bay flipped the match in the third set with its strongest stretch of play, sparked by kills from Diane Pichelman and Jessica Kurpeikis. A late YSU run tightened the frame, but Green Bay held on 25-23.

The fourth set showcased the Phoenix at their best. Trailing 17-13, Green Bay surged behind back to back aces from Gillian Koning and key kills from Katie Schultz, who finished with 19 kills. The Phoenix closed the set on a 12-4 run to force a deciding fifth set.

The fifth set went back and forth as Green Bay tied it 8-8 on an Olivia Neumann block, but Youngstown State’s late 4-1 push sealed the match 15-11.

Head coach Abby Sutherland said the response reflected her team’s identity.
“Well, we didn’t get swept. That’s a standard, but we easily could have given up,” she said. “There’s some teams where they would have thrown in the towel and we continued to fight and gave ourselves a chance to win. So we’re proud of that for sure. We’re proud of our resilience and we’ve been talking a lot about grit lately and we showed a lot of grit.”

Senior setter Emma Johnson, who recorded 58 assists, said Youngstown State pushed them from the service line and with its star outside hitter. “They really challenged us on their serving,” Johnson said. “They were getting us out of system sometimes, but we didn’t back down. Their outside, obviously she was player of the year… it’s hard to shut her down.” 

Junior outside Katie Schultz said the match and the season showed how close and connected the team remained through adversity. “I’m just really proud of our team in general,” Schultz said. “We always stay connected with each other. Whether we’re winning or losing, I am never worried about whether we feel close or not, which is super cool.”

She added that the group’s resilience sets up a strong future.
“We’re able to stick together through so many adversities and challenges… the ceiling is so high,” she said. 

Sutherland said the program leaves Kentucky disappointed, but far from discouraged. Green Bay returns “a huge core” of its lineup next season, including every major offensive piece, and adds three freshmen this spring. With all of that she believes the Phoenix are set up to take a major leap forward. “We’ve got a ton of ideas of how to get better,” she said, pointing toward a spring full of competition and growth.

The Phoenix’s spring schedule is expected to be released in the coming months.