Shippensburg, Penn. - An impressive 4.75 kills per-game average by junior Mandy Stanislovaitis helped the Adelphi University volleyball team start the year 2-0 with two seperate 3-1 victories against Kutztown and Wilmington at the Shippensburg Tournament earlier today and this evening.

Vs. Kutztown
In the first match against Kutztown, Stanislovaitis recorded 20 kills to along with 21 digs to help the Panthers (2-0) to a 3-1 (24-26, 28-26, 25-19, 25-21) win. Additionally, Megan Manierski passed out 39 assists and added nine kills while Sierra Crook posted 29 digs from her libero position. Shelby Stoner and McKenna Clawson each recorded nine kills with Stoner joining Madison Canestrari to record five total blocks a piece.

In the pivotal third set after both teams split the opening frames, a 10-1 Adelphi run, featuring six kills from Clawson, Manierski and Stoner, allowed the Panthers to take control, turning another 14-14 tie into a 24-15 lead. Although Kutztown put up late resistance to take four straight points, a final kill from Clawson secured Adelphi's 2-1 advantage.

Five points behind the Rebecca Seeba serve, including two aces, gave the Panthers a 9-5 lead to open the fourth, but the Golden Bears weren't done yet, From that point, they reeled off seven of the next nine points, before taking a 15-12 lead behind a Shannon Restrepo ace. The Panthers continued to trail up until 19-19, when an Ajsha Mekulovic service ace gave Adelphi a 20-19 lead; the Panthers never trailed again, and three kills from Stanislovaitis ended the match in the Brown and Gold's favor.

Vs. Wilmington
Stanislovaitis posted 18 more kills in the nightcap with 11 digs to help Adelphi to another 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-22) win with Stoner adding 13 herself. Manierski again recorded an all-around match with 36 assists, six kills, and five digs while Crook notched 23 digs. 

After again splitting the first two sets to open the match, Adelphi built a 15-7 lead on the back of a Stoner kill and attacking error from the Wildcats. Wilmington managed to cut the deficit to three at 22-19, however, Stanislovaitis recorded two of the final three points of the set with two of her seven kills in the set to close out the win.

A 17-12 Panther lead in the fourth set was quickly erased with a 5-0 run from Wilmington before back-to-back kills from Stoner put the Brown and Gold up for good. Censtrari and Clawson capped off the night with a combined block to record a 25-22 clinching set.

Up Next
Two more matches are on deck for tomorrow at the Shippensburg Tournament for the Panthers starting at 9:00 am against Davis & Elkins followed by facing the host Raiders at 2:00 pm.