Photo Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Marquis Frias, Assistant Sports Editor
The 2025 River Hawk Classic was a special one for the hosting River Hawks, as the volleyball swept the competition, beating both York (Pa.) and Penn State Altoona 3-0 on Saturday at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.
The wins came as a bit of a surprise, as entering the matches, the River Hawks were 0-10 and didn’t win a single set in any of those games. The two wins today were also the first wins for Susquehanna first-year head coach Johnny Powell.
In the first game against York, Susquehanna started up 13-5. York would then come back with two separate three-point runs to bring the score to 16-12. The River Hawks were able to maintain control, taking the first set 25-18.
The second set was much closer, with the two teams going back and forth in the early going. Susquehanna was able to get an early 8-4 lead, but York would consistently come back as the two teams traded points back and forth. Susquehanna then found themselves up 17-12, but a 6-1 run from the Spartans would shorten the margin to one point. From there, the River Hawks took care of business again, finishing off York in the second set 25-21.
Susquehanna would continue their dominance again in the third set, going up by as much as 20-11. York would again not go away, managing to get to 20 points in the set, but it wasn’t enough as Susquehanna held on to take the match 3-0. The River Hawks got their main contribution from Kyndall Mason, who finished with eight kills and a block assist in the first match.
The second match against Altoona started with back– and– forth action between the two teams, featuring great front-line play from both sides. Susquehanna’s six-point run gave them a 15-9 lead, but Altoona would come back scoring six of the match’s next eight points. Despite the late effort from the Lions, Susquehanna held on to take the first set 25-20.
Susquehanna got off to a very hot start in the second set, giving themselves a 10-3 lead. 12 kills were recorded as a team for the River Hawks in this set, as Susquehanna was able to take the second set 25-15.
The third set provided some drama for the two teams, as the teams went back to trading blows. Altoona found themselves up 7-4, but the River Hawks came back scoring 10 of the next 13 points and giving themselves a 14-10 lead.
More back and forth action ensued, with neither team going on a big run, but the steady dominance from Susquehanna gave them a 25-19 win in the third set, completing the weekend sweep. Valerie Soltz had 11 points with nine kills in the match, while also having a hitting percentage of .304. Sami Kline also totaled 11 points with six kills and six assists.
“We have been getting in the gym everyday, everyone has been getting in for extra reps and I really think it has helped us connect as a team… that’s how you bond as a team,” Mason said after the games. “We have to make sure we still go hard at every practice, hold each other accountable… I look forward to seeing everyone give it their all in the gym.”
The River Hawks will take this new found momentum for an away match at Eastern University on Saturday at 10 a.m.