St. Petersburg, Fla. - In a true test to start the 2024 season, Adelphi University took on no. 4 Wayne State College on Thursday evening, as part of the Eckerd College Invitational, ultimately falling in three sets to the Wildcats.

This marks the second ever meeting between the two programs - the first taking place at the start of the 2022 campaign. After an upset in the the Northern Sun Conference Volleyball Tournament in 2023 that snapped a 21-game win streak, Wayne State (1-0) is coming off a season where they went on to win the central region before losing in the Elite Eight. 

Much like its first matchup, the Wildcats forced double-digit attack errors as the Panthers collected 15 in Thursday's loss. Adelphi doubled its opponents service errors, and struggled to receive the ball - as a strong Wayne State put together seven service aces over three frames. 

In the opening set, Wayne State rattled off a 14-2 run that quickly quieted the Brown and Gold, but signs of life from Macarty Mcqueen and Lilyen McCarthy kept the hope alive. Three of the final seven points earned by the Wildcats were courtesy of Adelphi service errors as the no. 4 team out of Nebraska secured a 25-15 first set victory. 

Another deficit in the early going of the second set saw Adelphi trying to stop an eventual .429 team hitting percentage as the scoring margin concluded in double-figures once again. 

Noelle Alberda and McCarthy combined for a stop at the net and allowed the 'Cats to stay in the fight during the third, but a timely five-point swing saw Wayne State running away with its first victory of the 2024 season. 

McQueen led the Panthers with 11 kills, accounting for six digs on the other side of the ball. Libero Jaydin Nowak accounted for 12 digs to open the season while Kambel Fiser was responsible for 27 assists.

Adelphi will return to action for a doubleheader on Friday, September 6 when they take on Saint Leo midday before a matchup with the hosting Tritons of Eckerd College at primetime.