GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Neumann University Women's Volleyball team, looking for their third comeback from a 2-0 deficit this season, dropped a 3-2 MAC Commonwealth match on Tuesday night against Messiah University.
Neumann trailed the opener 7-2 but fought back with an 8-2 run to take a 10-9 lead, forcing a Messiah timeout. Messiah came back to take a 16-11 lead to force a Knights huddle. The Falcons added two more points for a 9-2 run before Neumann formulated a response. A 7-4 Knights push made it 22-18 but Messiah called a final timeout and earned the 25-18 win to take the set.
In the second, the Neumann rocketed ahead 5-1 to get off to a strong start. The Falcons took their time but finally worked to a 16-12 lead, ending a 15-7 stretch with four consecutive points. The Knights kept things close but ultimately fell, 25-19.
Messiah, looking for the sweep, took a 7-5 lead early in the third but a four-point run by Neumann got them up 9-7. From there, the two teams traded runs as the Falcons pulled ahead for a 13-11 lead, The Knights scored three in a row, and the Falcons had a 4-0 run to lead 17-14. Neumann again had an answer with a 7-1 run, and Messiah had to talk it over. It wasn't enough as the Knight took the set, 25-21, keeping the match alive.
The Knights rode the momentum of the previous set victory, starting the fourth with five straight points on their way to a 10-2 lead. After the Falcons scored three in a row, both teams went back and forth before Neumann took an 18-11 lead. Messiah roared back with six in a row to get back within one. The Knights took seven of the last 10 points to tie up the match with a 25-20 set win.
The early portion of the final set saw Neumann taking a 4-3 lead. The Falcons went on a 6-2 run for a 9-6 lead, drawing a Knights timeout. After the break, Neumann turned out a 4-2 run to get within one. Both teams traded quick two point runs and Messiah led 13-12. After a Falcon timeout, the Knights tied the set, but Messiah closed the evening out with a 15-13 win.
Julia Solomon led the Neumann offensive attack with 13 kills.
Melissa Eddy had 11 kills to go with a team-high 15 digs, for the double-double, adding three aces.
Emma Kovacs had 17 assists with
Amiya Carter contributing 13 assists and three aces of her own.
Neumann (5-9, 1-2 MAC Commonwealth) will now head to Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday afternoon for a tri-match. At 2:00 PM, the Knights will take on Fredonia State before challenging the hosts, the University of Rochester.
