Volleyball Opens Season With Rally To Win First Ashland Invitational Match

If Friday (Sept. 5) night's match at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium is any indication, the 2025 Ashland University volleyball season is going to be, at the very least, interesting.
 
In the first match of the new season, the Eagles won 3-2 against Indiana, Pa. (25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-8) – in a match which saw 21 tie scores and seven lead changes overall, and 13 tie scores and four lead changes in the final two sets during the AU comeback.
 
"I think they're a resilient group," said Ashland head coach Katie Kuhn. "They fight hard. They continued to keep grinding, continued to keep working. Very cohesive. People stepped up and did their job. Just really proud of them."
 
Said junior middle hitter Ravin Morgan, who ended the night with 12 kills, a .522 hitting percentage and nine total blocks (eight assists), "We trusted each other. We have an unstoppable trust in each other to perform and to do our jobs. Our fires were lit. We wanted to win."
 
Trailing 21-17 in the opening set, the Eagles rallied to take it and go on top early. Down 18-11 in set No. 2, Ashland got back to within two points at 21-19, but could get no closer as IUP knotted the match.
 
The Crimson Hawks took the lead in the third set at 13-12 and didn't relinquish it. Ashland, however, rallied from being down 20-19 late in the fourth set to win – thanks in part to a diving save near the sideline from freshman outside hitter Jenna Shedden (seven kills, two block assists) to keep a rally alive.
 
"That's a freshman going out for a ball. Didn't even hesitate," said Kuhn. "What that did momentum-wise, huge."
 
Added Morgan, "She's pretty incredible. She's very coachable. She's learned, and she's picked up so quickly the college game."
 
Ashland's scrappiness and never-say-die play was rounded out in the fifth and final set, as, after being on the wrong side of a 6-5 deficit, the Eagles scored six straight points en route to the victory.
 
EAGLE DEFENSE STEPPED UP

• IUP hit minus-.190 in the fifth and final set, thanks to an AU defense which ended the night with 70 digs and 24 total blocks (22 assists).
• Of Morgan, Kuhn said, "That's what Ravin's capable of. She's a special player. Really proud of how she showed up. She's a very good leader."
• Senior defensive specialist Macy McNamara and junior libero Abbey Queen each had 15 digs, and sophomore outside hitter Samantha Young finished with 14.
• Junior setter Marin Dixon collected 44 assists in her third start as an Eagle.
• "She ran our show," Kuhn said. "Marin is a technician. She thinks the game. She did a very good job of distributing the ball."
• In addition to Morgan, sophomore outside hitter Sophia Samonek ended with double-digit kills (11).

NEXT UP
The second and final day of the Ashland University Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 6), with the Eagles taking on Daemen at 1 p.m. and West Liberty in the 7 p.m. match.