Eagle Volleyball Takes Two Sweeps To Open IUP Invite

Ashland University's volleyball team started strong at the IUP Invitational on Friday (Sept. 13), topping Lock Haven, 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-20), and Adelphi by the same score (25-19, 25-23, 25-18).
 
The Eagles' 5-2 start to 2024 matches their 2023 beginning through seven outings.
 
In the match against the Bald Eagles, Ashland kept Lock Haven to a team hitting percentage of .036 – the top Eagles single-match defensive effort since Oct. 29, 2023 at Thomas More (minus-.019).
 
Heading the Ashland defensive showing was sophomore libero Abbey Queen, who finished with a match-high 19 digs.
 
Friday night's match vs. the Panthers once again saw strong Eagle defense, as Adelphi was kept to a team hitting percentage of .102. Queen picked up 17 more digs, while junior defensive specialist Macy McNamara added 11.
 
Ashland also had 17 total blocks vs. Adelphi – four block assists coming from senior right-side hitter GraceAnn Hartman and sophomore middle hitter Ravin Morgan.
 
URBAN KEEPS DISHING OUT ASSISTS…AND THE REST OF THE STORY

• Sophomore setter Kylee Urban had 21 assists vs. the Bald Eagles, and added six kills and six digs.
• The victory was AU's seventh in a row against Lock Haven.
• Urban had 32 helpers vs. the Panthers. Freshman outside hitter Samantha Young earned a match-high 13 kills, and Hartman added 10.
• It was the first-ever meeting in volleyball between the two AUs. 

UP NEXT
The third and fourth matches at the IUP Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 14), against the host Crimson Hawks at 1 p.m. and vs. Shippensburg at 5 p.m.