Pleasantville, N.Y. - In their fourth five-set match this season, the Adelphi University volleyball program captured a 3-2 decision at Pace University Tuesday evening, to remain unbeaten in league play.
Sara Bisbe had a team-leading 19 kills, coupled with 22 digs and was one of four players in double-figures.
McKenna Clawson and
Cara McKenzie were both responsible for 14 kills in the victory, the former adding 17 digs. Defensively the Panthers (12-3, 3-0 NE10) had a top-performance from
Katarina Warburton at 32 digs, while also chipping in three of the team's 12 service aces. The Setters (11-3, 2-1 NE10) had two lone players in double digit kills, with Sandra Yang and Claudia Fontanet accouting for 12 and 11, respectively.
The opening set finished as a lop-sided affair, as the home team came away with a 25-14 decision. The Panthers were responsible for 11 attack errors to Pace's three, as the Setters also notched three service aces in the win. Adelphi turned it around in the second frame, jumping out to an 8-2 lead and finishing with a 25-16 victory.
The Panther attack marked the third set with a game-high 19 kills compared to the hosts' nine. Both teams went back-and-forth with runs of their own, but kills from Clawson and Bisbe helped en route to the final three points to secure a 25-23 win. Throughout the fourth, the NE10 matchup was even until the Setters pushed ahead by three, and scored five of the next eight to stand at set-point. Bisbe and Mandreja collected kills of their own to help the visitors make a late run, but a Panther miscue forced a fifth set in the contest.
Pace managed to push the envelope in the fifth, forcing the switch of sides and even extended their lead to two at 11-9. A kill from
Sara Mandreja sparked a four-point run which quickly swung momentum in favor of Adelphi, but the Setters scored two straight to even the match at 13-all. McKenzie buried home a kill and
Naomi Ruffalo recorded a match-point ace to secure the road win.
The team is back in action with a two-game homestand starting Friday, September 28. They will host the College of Saint Rose at 7:00 p.m. and then turn around for a 1:00 p.m. contest against American International College.
About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009, and in the past eight seasons, has collected 27 regular season conference titles, 29 tournament championships, 41 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.
For the latest on Adelphi University Athletics, follow the Panthers at www.aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat.
