CHESTER, Pa. – The Neumann University women's volleyball team won a its two matches in a tri-match at Widener University on Saturday. The Knights defeated the host Pride 3-1 and then followed with a 3-0 win over Wilkes.
 
Against Widener, the Pride won the first set 25-14. Neumann then won three straight sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-16, to win the match 3-1.
 
Melanie Malseed tallied 13 kills and 20 digs to lead the Knights. Ariana Pena added 10 kills. Rachel Cray handed out 37 assists and added 10 digs. Hayley Glah notched 20 digs and five service aces.
 
In the first set, the teams went back and forth before the Pride took a 15-13 score and tallied eight straight points for a 23-13 advantage. In set two, this time the Knights took a run to take an 8-8 score and tally seven points, including two service aces from Glah, for a 15-8 lead. A service ace by Alex Koppany sealed the set win to tie the match at one.
 
The teams battled back and forth in the third set. Tied at 18, the Pride scored two points for a 20-18 advantage. Neumann answered with seven points to take the 25-20 win. The Knights jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set and sealed the win match win with a service ace by Malseed.
 
Against Wilkes, the Knights battled to a 27-25 first set win before taking sets two and three 25-11 and 25-15. Malseed notched 13 kills and 13 digs. Pena and Bre Hickey added 10 kills each. Cray handed out 36 assists.
 
Kills by Grace Herbein and Hickey scored the 27-25 first set win. Neumann jumped out to a 7-0 lead in set two and a kill by Pena put the Knights up 2-0. In the final set, Neumann again took an early lead and a kill by Maria Brown sealed the match win.
 
Neumann (10-9) will now head into conference action. The Knights will begin the 2019 Atlantic East campaign at Marywood on Wednesday evening beginning at 7:00 PM.