CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson volleyball team could not have envisioned a better start to their 2026 home opener on Wednesday night as they took the first set 25-7 from the visiting Penn State Altoona. However, the rest of the night was nip-and-tuck and despite 32 kills from junior
Mallie Thomas it was the Lions who escaped the Kline Center with a 3-2 non-conference win.
First Set (DC 25-7)
- Kills from Jessica Currie and Thomas along with a pair of aces for Lora Flynn gave the home side an early 8-3 edge.
- Scores by Julia Emel and Johanna Heckman cut the margin to 9-5, before Emery Fishbach, Norah Oppenheim, Amanda Palo, Brenna Williams and Currie embarked on an 11-1 outburst making it 20-6.
- A kill for Hannah Swank slowed the charge for a second, but a pair of Thomas kills and singles by Fishbach and Oppenheim took the set 25-7.
Second Set (PSU 33-31)
- Dickinson got out to another quick start with points by Currie and Thomas giving the hosts a 7-2 advantage.
- An ace and kill for Lia Simanski helped PSU to close within one 9-8.
- Contributions off the hands of Lora Flynn and Thomas bumped the DC edge up by two more to 17-14.
- Six of the next ten went the way of the Lions pulling the gap once again to within one 21-20.
- Three Swank scores continued keep the rally going for Altoona as they drew level at 24-24.
- Each team would fend off numerous set points, before a DC error and kill by Maggie Brewer ended things 33-31.
Third Set (DC 25-23)
- Penn State had the early edge at 6-4, before two PSU miscues gave the Devils life 8-6.
- The Lions continued to hold the home team at-bay with Peyton Wasson and Swank putting away point to bump the margin to 13-9.
- Dickinson then responded with kills for Caroline Cusson, Kylie Schner, Oppenheim and Thomas making it 17-16 DC.
- Single kills by Marlo Mellish and Swank brought the guests back ahead by one 19-18, however points for Fishbach, Oppenheim and Schner pushed DC closer to the set win at 22-20.
- An error and two Jayden Ulmer kills made it 23-23, but scores from Currie and Thomas capped it off.
Fourth Set (PSU 26-24)
- The two sides shared the opening ten points, before kills by Cusson, Schner and Thomas kept things level at 8-8.
- After a kill by Wasson, a joint block from Fishbach and Oppenheim opened up a 6-0 push to take a 14-9 advantage.
- However, the trio of Makiya Mack, Ella Hadley and Swank trimmed the gap to 16-15.
- A missed serve by Swank then sparked a 7-3 run ending on a kill by Thomas for the 21-16 lead.
- From that moment on a kill for Simanski captured the momentum for the Lions as they ended on a 10-3 spurt for the 26-24 win.
Fifth Set (PSU 16-14)
- The Simanski kills and three by Swank had the visitors feeling good as they jumped out to an 11-6 edge.
- Dickinson answered back with two Thomas kills and an ace by Avery Butcher (11-11).
- After the teams split the next six points the score read 14-14. Unfortunately, for Dickinson a kill by Wasson and block for Campbell closed out the match.
Dickinson Leaders
- Kills - Thomas (32), Currie and Oppenheim (7)
- Digs - Katie Arcara and Butcher (19), Thomas (14)
- Assists - Williams (32), Flynn (18)
Opponent Leaders
- Kills - Swank (17), Simanski (14)
- Digs - Swank (17), DiSabato (14)
- Assists - Emel and Mellish (20)
Up Next
- Dickinson (2-2) with host a tri-match on Saturday afternoon beginning at 12pm when the Red and White take on Catholic University, before battling Misericordia University at 4pm.
