Clarion, PA - For the first time in over 600 days, the Adelphi University volleyball program was back on the court Thursday evening, kicking off the 2021 campaign at the Tony Banner Memorial tournament, hosted by Clarion University. 

After evening the match at one-all, the Panthers (0-1) dropped a four-set decision to Saginaw Valley State University (1-0) out of Michigan, who put up a dominant performance at the net. 

Rookie Kambel Fiser was the team-leader assists, finishing with 20, while adding three blocks and nine kills. Katie Schloss put up a new career-mark in kills with 14, posting a double-double with 10 digs. Defensively, Jamie Yonker also recorded a career night, despite the loss, with 26 digs. 

The Cardinals and Panthers split the first two sets and were neck-and-neck through the third frame until the visitors ran away with six of the final seven points to take a two-set lead in the game. 

Newcomers Lilyen McCarthy and Delaney Kiendra stopped senior Cardinal (and team-leader in kills) Maria Vukaj to take a two-point lead in the fourth, however Saginaw Valley rattled off eight straight points to command the eventual final set. The team out of Michigan used that run to eventually win by eight as the Adelphi attack only managed nine kills compared to their opponents 14 in the finale. 

Adelphi is back at it on Friday, Sept. 3 with a double-dip featuring Shippensburg University at noon and 6:00 p.m. meeting with hosts, Clarion University inside Tippin Gymnasium. Game two of the day will feature a livestream, available here.