GALLOWAY, N.J. – The Neumann University split two matches with DeSales University and Stockton University on Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale. The Knights defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 before falling to the Ospreys 3-2.
 
In the four-set win over DeSales, Ariana Pena led four Knights in double-digit kills with 19 while hitting .486. Melanie Malseed tallied 18 kills while Jess Charlier had 15 and Bre Hickey added 12. Rachel Cray handed out 59 assists and four service aces. Hickey tallied 18 digs. Malseed and Hayley Glah each added 12.
 
DeSales took the first set 28-26. Tied at 22, the teams went back and forth before the Bulldogs could tally two straight points for the win. In the second set, DeSales took an early 4-0 lead. Neumann worked its way back and tied the set at eight. While Cray was serving, the Knights took an 11-10 deficit to a 17-11 lead. Neumann got to set point, 24-15, but the Bulldogs were not giving up that easily and scored six points for a 24-21 score. A kill by Pena gave the Knights the 25-21 second set win to tie the match at one.
 
Late in the fourth set, the Bulldogs held a 21-18 advantage. The Knights rattled off six straight points for a 24-21 lead. This time, it took Neumann just two serves to get the set point, 25-22, on a kill by Malseed. The fourth set was no different than the first three as the teams went back and forth. Kills by Pena and Hickey tied the set at 23. DeSales tallied its 24^th point and looked to send the match to a fifth set. However, a block by Pena and Hickey pulled Neumann even at 24. Hickey then tallied a service ace and a kill by Malseed sealed the 26-24 fourth set win and the 3-1 match win.
 
The second match of the day was also a battle. Malseed had 23 kills in the match. Charlier tallied 14, Hickey 13 and Pena added 12. Cray was busy again, dishing out 56 assists. Glah notched 19 digs while Hickey had 15 and Malseed added 11.
 
Neumann took the first set 25-22. Down 22-21, the Knights tallied a kill by Hickey and three kills by Pena for the 25-22 win. In the second set, this time Stockton had the late run to take a 25-19 win to tie the match at one.
 
The Ospreys jumped out to an early 10-2 lead in the third set. The Knights chipped their way back and tied the set at 13. However, Stockton rattled off nine straight points for a 22-13 advantage and came away with the 25-17 set win.
 
Stockton again took a lead, this time 10-4, in the fourth set. Neumann came back and tied the set at 19. The Knights were able to get four straight kills and take a 23-20 advantage. The Ospreys pulled to within one, 23-23, but then followed with two attack errors and Neumann came away with the 25-22 win.
 
The first part of the final set remained close, but Stockton was able to take a 10-9 score and tally fourth straight points for a 14-9 lead and a 15-10 set win for the 3-2 match win.
 
Neumann wraps up the regular season 17-11 overall. The Knights will be the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic East postseason and will host a semifinal contest on Thursday evening.