PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University women's volleyball team dropped its home opener to Kutztown 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-22) in a non-conference match Friday night in the Gallagher Center.

For the second straight match, middle hitter Chelsea Hughes (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) recorded a double-double for the Rams (2-3). Hughes had a match-high 14 kills and a team-best 19 digs.

Middle hitter Lauren Laucella (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) contributed seven kills and six total blocks (one solo, five assists). Setter Nina Morvin (Willow Grove, Pa./St. Basil Academy) posted 25 assists. Setter Claudia Papola (Temple, Pa./Muhlenburg) had 17 digs, while middle hitter Terra Ecker (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) and libero Michele Chai (Sinking Spring, Pa./Berks Catholic) added 14 digs each.

The Golden Bears (5-1) got 11 kills from Danielle Van Buren. Anna Conti helped the Kutztown cause with 29 assists and 16 digs. Chelsea Braga had seven kills and 18 digs, while Kim Groff recorded 23 digs.

In the opening set, Philadelphia owned a 22-16 advantage, its largest of the set, on Morvin's second kill. Kutztown fought back and went on an 8-1 to move ahead 24-23—its first lead of the set—on a Zandria Zielinski solo block. After Philadelphia took a 25-24 lead with the help of back-to-back Laucella kills, Kutztown scored the final three points of the set to take a 1-0 match lead.

With the help of a 7-1 surge, which included two Hughes' service aces, the Rams had a 15-10 second set lead. Philadelphia stayed in front until Kutztown battled back with eight unanswered points to give the Golden Bears a 24-20 cushion. Audrey Stringer's fourth kill of the set but the visitors ahead 2-0.

An 8-2 run midway through the third set gave Kutztown an 18-11 lead. Philadelphia answered back with eight of the next nine points, five coming on Kutztown errors, to tie the set at 19. The Rams took a 20-19 lead on a Morvin kill. After Braga tied the set at 22 with a kill, the Golden Bears scored the final three points to take the match.

Philadelphia returns to the court to match Millersville in a non-conference match on Tuesday, Sept.  16 at 6 p.m.