ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University women's volleyball team split its two matches on Saturday afternoon at day two of the Knights Invitational. The Knights battled to a 3-2 win over Ursinus College before falling to DeSales University 3-1.
Melissa Eddy, who was named to the All-Tournament team, led the Knights against Ursinus with 15 kills while adding 13 digs.
Julia Solomon tallied 13 kills and
Bri Gautier added 10.
Emma Kovacs handed out 29 assists, 21 digs and four services aces.
Amiya Carter dished out 15 assists.
Hannah Strohm notched 18 digs.
Brielle Nemenzo finished with 11 digs.
Taylor Dinnis had seven block assists in the match.
In set one, the teams started back-and-forth and the Knights held an 11-10 edge. The Bears scored six of the next eight points to take a 17-12 advantage. Ursinus continued to build its lead to 24-15. Neumann was able to score the next three points, including two kills from Eddy, but the Bears took set one 25-18 on a Knights service error.
In set two, Neumann held a 19-17 advantage when Ursinus rallied for the next six points for a 23-19 score. The Knights scored three of the next four points, but a Bears kills gave them the 25-22 set two win and a 2-0 match lead.
Set three was much like the first two, but this time, with the Bears leading 23-22, the Knights scored the final three points on a kill by Eddy and two by Solomon for a 25-23 set three win.
In set four, Neumann held a 7-6 edge when it went on an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 15-6. Ursinus pulled to within five, 20-15, but then two kills by
Taylor Long and a service ace by Carter put the Knights closer to a set four win, 23-15. A service ace by Nemenzo gave Neumann the 25-17 win and forced a fifth set.
In set five, the Knights built 7-4 and 11-6 advantages. The Bears tallied the next four points to pull within one, 11-10. Neumann took the next three points and after a service error, a kill by Eddy gave the Knights the 15-11 win and 3-2 come-from-behind match win.
Against the Bulldogs, Solomon tallied 13 kills. Eddy added 11 kills, 15 digs and four services aces. Strohm notched 15 digs. Kovacs handed out 21 assists and 12 digs. Carter finished with 10 assists.
Kyndra Dale added three service aces.
The Knights started out on fire, scoring the first seven points. The Bulldogs scored nine of the next 10 points for a 9-8 edge. The teams then both went on small runs before Neumann, down 18-17, scored six straight points for a 23-18 score. A kill by Long gave the Knights a 25-21 set one win.
After starting set two by going back-and-forth, DeSales built an 18-12 lead. The Knights answered by scoring six of the next seven points to pull within one, 19-18. The teams traded the next four points before the Bulldogs tallied the final four points for a 25-20 win and tie the match at one.
DeSales scored the first six points of set three. Neumann scored the next five and eight-of-nine for an 8-7 edge. The Bulldogs started to pull away again and built their lead to 17-13. The Knights tallied the next five to take an 18-17 lead. Down by three, the Knights scored three points on two kills and a service ace to pull even at 22. DeSales answered with the next three points for the 25-22 set win and to take a 2-1 match lead.
The Bulldogs built a 14-9 in set four and extended their lead to 21-14. DeSales took the fourth set 25-16 for the 3-1 match win.
Neumann (3-5) opens MAC Commonwealth action on Tuesday when it heads to Hood College. Action is slated to get underway at 7:00 PM.
