LEMONT FURNACE, Pennsylvania - The Lyon College volleyball team has accomplished its first mission at the USCAA National Championships at Penn State-Fayette campus by defeating Salem University 3-1 in the second day of pool play earlier this morning.

The Scots (18-17) weren't exactly awake yet and lost the first set 25-9, but rebounded to take the next three sets and the match, winning 25-22, 26-24 and 25-18.

Lyon College will play the number 2 seed from Pool B, Bay Path at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time this afternoon in the first game of the semifinals. The championship is slated for 12 p.m. (CST) start on Saturday and the consolation match will be played at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.

 In Friday's early morning match, the Scots were down 5-0 in the first set before Paeton Tucker got a kill off a set from Madeline Hopson. Marti Flores served an ace, then kills from Isabella Beasley and Tucker closed the gap to 7-4 early on. Salem added three more points before Beasley served an ace and an attack error made it 10-7. However, the Tigers from Salem University scored nine straight points. An attack error stopped the rally briefly, but Salem scored the next five points before Kylee Sabella got a kill to make it 24-9. 

In the second set, the Scots were down 15-10 when Salem got a service error and an attack error. Hopson served an ace, Tucker got a kill and Beasley got a kill to keep the game at two points, but Salem had an attack error and a ball handing error that tied the set at 17-17, then Bethany Williams served an ace and Sabella got a kill off a set from Hopson for a 19-17 Lyon College lead. Sabella followed that with two straight kills. An attack error by the Tigers and a service ace from Sabella made for a 23-19 Scots lead. Tucker got a kill to set up set point, then a block from Williams and Tucker tied the match at 1-1.

Lyon College jumped out a 4-0 lead on Salem to start the third set on a kill from Williams, an attack error from the Tigers, a service ace from Tucker and another attack error. Sabella got a kill off a set from Hopson to lift the Scots to a 5-1 lead. A service error and an ace serve from Beasley preceded a kill from Janyia Vanderpool. Tucker followed with a kill and a ball handing error by Salem made for a 10-4 lead. Keeley Beary got a kill and Tucker got a kill off a set from Beasley. Tucker followed with ak ill for a 13-6 Lyon College lead. An attack error from Salem and a service ace from Hopson put the Scots up by nine. Salem made another attack error and that eventually led to a kill from Sabella to make it a 17-10 contest. 
The Tigers had a three-point rally, but a kill from Beasley stopped it, then a three more points from Salem was stopped by a kill from Beasley. Salem committed an attack error and Beary got a kill for a 21-17 Lyon lead, but Salem came back to tie the set at 21-21. Tucker ot a kill, but the Tigers got a kill to stay tied. A kill from Williams and an attack error Salem made for a two-point Scots advantage, but the Tigers came back to tie the set at 24-24. Finally, Beasley got a kill from a set by Hopson and Sabella pounded a striking kill to end the set 26-24.

In the fourth and final set, Beasley started off with a kill and Tucker followed with a kill for a quick 2-0 lead. Tucker got another kill and Williams picked up a kill, but Salem closed in to tie the set before Sabella got going with kill and combined with Beary on a block for a point. That started a short rally with Sabella and Vanderpool getting kills coupled with an attack error by Salem to make 10-4. The Tigers closed in with the next three points, but Sabella got another kill. An attack error and a kill from Sabella, then a kill from Tucker off a set from Beasley made for a 14-10 lead. Tucker added another kill and Salem had two attack errors in a row to make it 17-11. After a service error from the Tigers, Lyon went on a five point rally that featured a service ace from Beasley and a kill from Beary. Salem scored three times in a row, but a service error and a block by Beary and Tucker won the match for the Scots, 25-18.