Eagles Take Two On Saturday In Own Invite, Start 2024 At 3-1

Ashland University's volleyball team is off to a 3-1 start to the 2024 season, following a pair of wins on Saturday (Sept. 7) in its own AU Invitational at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
 
The Eagles opened Saturday with a 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 26-24, 25-15) victory over East Stroudsburg, then earned a 3-1 decision (25-19, 25-21, 24-26, 25-19) against West Liberty to close out the weekend.
 
"I was really proud of them," said Ashland head coach Katie Kuhn. "We've grown. We grew all weekend long. Of course, there were moments where we looked very youthful, but I think just getting that experience for them – the more we play together, the more you can tell there's chemistry happening."
 
Saturday's first match featured a balanced Eagle offensive attack. Both senior right-side hitter GraceAnn Hartman and freshman outside hitter Samantha Young ended with a team-high 13 kills, and freshman outside hitter Sara Krizsa added 10. Sophomore setter Kylee Urban set up AU hitters to the tune of a career-high 46 assists.
 
Against the Hilltoppers, Krizsa paced the AU offense with 17 kills, while Hartman added a dozen to go with a .417 hitting percentage. Urban came up with 42 more helpers, along with three kills, five service aces, five digs and a block assist.
 
"Kylee Urban is doing an exceptional job at the setting position," Kuhn said. "She's running the show. She's done a wonderful job.
 
"We've been very balanced (on offense). I definitely think we have more weapons, and we are moving the ball around more, which I think is helping us."
 
THE EAGLE DEFENSE DIDN'T REST…AND THE REST OF THE STORY

• On defense in the match vs. Warriors, the Eagles finished with 17 block assists (five each from Hartman and sophomore middle hitter Ravin Morgan), and kept ESU to a .189 hitting percentage. Three Eagles had double-digit digs – sophomore libero Abbey Queen (26), Young (12) and junior defensive specialist Macy McNamara (10).
• The West Liberty match saw Queen earn 27 digs, and Morgan collect four solo blocks and three block assists, as the Hilltoppers were kept to a team hitting percentage of .117.
• "We're getting some good touches (on defense)," said Kuhn. "Our block is doing a nice job. We're reading the ball well. We'll get more fluid back there, too, but our block is just getting some really good touches."
• Nova Southeastern, receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason Division II poll, went 4-0 in the tournament.

UP NEXT
Wednesday (Sept. 11) at 6 p.m. at No. RV Gannon (1-3).