ERIE, PA – With the second set in the balance and the Houghton Highlanders trailing the Penn State-Behrend Nittany Lions, 21-18, Houghton setter Haley Unverdorben served up a pair of perfect sets to two freshmen teammates (Ella Smith and Julie Immel) for her 2,000^th and 2001^st assists of her college career.
 
The Lions would go on to claim the match in straight sets, 3-0, despite Unverdorben dishing out a match-high 29 assists, giving her 2,007 total.  She currently ranks seventh on the Highlander leader board over the past 25 years and trails sixth-place-holder Jaime Green (2010-13) by 57 assists.
 
Outside of Unverdorben's accomplishment, as in many sporting competitions, the team that commits the fewest errors, drastically increases their chances of winning.  The Lions proved that adage true as they put together a near flawless performance, committing only two attack errors and only three services errors the entire night. 
 
While the Highlanders actually collected one more kill than the Lions (35-to-34), and put together one of their more respectable offensive performances, posting a .188 attack percentage, they could not keep pace, committing 16 attack and nine service miscues.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 0 | Penn State-Behrend – 3
Records: Houghton: 6-5 | Penn State-Behrend: 12-4
Scores: 17-25, 20-25, 14-25
Venue: Junker Center, Penn State-Behrend College | Attendance: 87

NOTABLE STATS
>> Immel and Alyssa Lyon led the Houghton offense with 10 kills apiece.  Immel has reached double-digit kills in seven consecutive matches.  Lyon also collected 10 digs on the night, posting her second double-double of the season. 
 
>> In addition to her 29 assists, Unverdorben also racked up four service aces, giving her 25 on the year.  She is tied for the team lead in that category with Rebekah Clark.
 
>> Kristin Reiland led the Lions with 11 kills and eight digs.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders will have more than week off before returning to the Nielsen Center on Friday and Saturday, October 8 and 9 for a pair of Empire 8 matchups with the Hartwick Hawks and the Sage Colleges Gators, respectively.  First serve is set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.