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Purdue Fort Wayne
10-17,5-10Horizon
Youngstown State
8-20,3-14Horizon
Panna Ratkai Dominates Youngstown State, 'Dons Win in Three Sets
11/4/2023 6:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Panna Ratkai of the Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball team became the only player in NCAA Division I to record 24 or more kills and five aces in a three-set match this season in Saturday's (Nov. 4) sweep at Youngstown State.
Ratkai also tied the Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball record with 24 kills in a three-set match. She now holds the three-set and five-set Mastodon kills records in the rally scoring era.
She was incredibly efficient on Saturday, hitting .388 in the Mastodons 25-18, 27-25, 25-18 victory. It was also her 11th match this season with 20 or more kills.
Ratkai dominated the opening set, recording 12.5 points in the first set alone. She had nine kills, three aces and a block. After trading points with the Penguins until the 15-all mark, the Mastodons rattled off six in a row behind Ratkai's serve. She had three of her five aces in this run. Jena Medearis led the charge to finish the set, registering two kills and a block in the final four points.
The Mastodons had a set point opportunity at 24-23 in set two, but YSU managed the next two points to establish their own. The 'Dons went to their star freshman to stave off set point, then found their other freshman on the pin on their own set point. Ashby Willis got the kill and put the Mastodons up 2-0.
Purdue Fort Wayne started set three up 9-5 thanks to two consecutive aces from Ratkai and one from Taya Haffner. YSU evened the playing field at 15-all, but Purdue Fort Wayne went on an 8-1 run, once again behind the arm of Ratkai. She was the server for six points and had four kills in the run. This put the 'Dons up 23-16 and comfortably in position to take the match. Ratkai had seven kills on 13 error-less swings in the final frame.
The 'Dons hit .310 in set one and .444 in set three. They finished with nine aces as a team.
Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 10-19, 5-10 in the Horizon League. Youngstown State falls to 8-20 and 3-14 in the league.
The Mastodons will host Cleveland State on Tuesday (Nov. 7) at 6 p.m.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
