ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Women's Volleyball team went 1-1 on Saturday afternoon defeating Marywood University in an Atlantic East Conference match, 3-1, before falling to non-conference foe, John Jay College, 3-2.
 
The first match for the Knights started strong as they took five of the first six points. From there, the Pacers went on a 9-0 run to take a 10-5 lead. The two teams traded points for awhile when, with the score 12-10 in favor of Marywood, the Pacers on runs of four points and five points for a nine-point lead. They eventually took the first set, 25-18.
 
The Knights started the second set with a 6-1 lead. They kept that lead and extended it further with a six point stretch for a 16-5 lead. Neumann grabbed six of the last seven points to win the set, 25-10, tying the match. The third set was even to begin but with the score tied at three, Neumann went on a 16-2 run and finished with a 5-2 run to take a 2-1 lead in set with a 25-7 win.
 
Marywood battled in the fourth to stay alive in the match, exchanging points for a 13-12 deficit. Neumann then went on a 6-1 run for a 19-13 lead. The Pacers pulled back within four but another 4-1 run gave the momentum to Neumann as they took the set 25-17, clinching the match.
 
Nayeli Cruz and Melissa Eddy led with 12 kills each. Cruz added two block assists, a block solo, and two aces as Eddy had six service aces. Hannah Strohm helped with 16 digs and the lone senior, Dani Smith, had 42 assists, including the 3,000^th of her Neumann career.
 
The second match started with John Jay taking an early 5-3 lead but Neumann went on a 12-3 run for a 15-8 lead. The Knights continued to pull away eventually lead by ten, 23-13, on their way to a 25-16 win. With the score at 6-6 in the second, both teams traded short spurts, with neither team leading by more than two. With the score even at 18, the Bloodhounds rattled off the last seven points to even the match.
 
The third set was no different as Neumann had to go on a five point stretch to take a significant 13-9 lead. A 7-4 Knights' run helped them to a 20-13 lead and Neumann won three of the last four points to grab the set, 25-19. Neumann started off the fourth with a 4-1 lead but John Jay came back for a 5-4 lead. With the set even at seven, the Knights went on a quick three point run for a 10-7 lead. John Jay would come back to tie the set at 15 and Neumann at one point led 20-18, but the Bloodhounds won six of the last eight points to force a deciding fifth set.
 
John Jay came out of the gates with fury as they took an early 6-0 lead. Neumann scored eight of the following ten to tie the set. With the score tied at 11, Neumann grabbed three of the next four points but, the Bloodhounds snuck back to win the match by taking the last four points.
 
Eddy led with 18 kills with three service aces. Bri Gautier had 14, Cruz had 11, along with three block assists. Strohm had 22 digs and three aces, and Smith had 10 digs with 49 assists. Kyla Sayson had three aces as well.
 
Neumann (8-14, 2-1 Atlantic East) will be back in action on Saturday, October 26^th as they'll head to Immaculata for another tri-match, along with Pratt Institute. The action starts at 2pm.