ASTON, Pa. – The Arcadia University women's volleyball team wrapped up day two of the Knights Invitational, hosted by Neumann University, on Saturday morning. The Knights suffered their first loss of the season in the opening match, falling to Rowan University, 3-0, by scores of 28-26, 25-20 and 25-22. Raegan Oursler led the Knights with eight kills, Kaitlyn Small recorded six aces, Anna Keer added three blocks, while Bryana Saenz and Small each totaled 10 assists and Avery Bell recorded 14 digs.
Arcadia bounced back in the final match of the invitational, defeating Widener University, 3-1, by scores of 27-25, 15-25, 25-19 and 25-17. With the victory, the Knights improved to 7-1 on the season. Keer and Oursler led the offensive attack with 10 kills each, while Bell recorded five aces, Keer added four blocks, Saenz totaled 20 assists and Bell led the defensive effort with 12 digs. As a team, the Knights recorded 48 kills while hitting .225.
GAME ONE: Rowan 3, Arcadia 0
SET ONE: Rowan 28, Arcadia 26
· The Profs quickly jumped out to a 7-1 lead before Oursler recorded her first kill of the match. Down 9-2, the Knights responded with an 8-0 run to take their first lead at 10-9, highlighted by kills from Morgan Orsulak and Devon Young, blocks from Young and Anna Keer, and three consecutive aces from Small.
· Kills from Mia Beckett and Oursler bookended a 3-0 run, but the Profs answered with a 3-0 run of their own to tie the set at 14-14.
· Oursler, Orsulak and Young sparked a 4-0 run to push Arcadia ahead, 19-15, but Rowan responded with a 5-0 run to regain a 20-19 lead.
· Young's kill cut the deficit to one before the junior recorded another kill and Kulas added an ace to give the Knights a 24-23 advantage.
· A block from Beckett and Chana Rothschild put Arcadia ahead, 26-25, but the Profs rattled off three straight points to take the opening set, 28-26.
SET TWO: Rowan 25, Arcadia 20
· The Profs again jumped out to an early 7-2 lead before Orsulak's kill halted the run. Rowan responded with another 4-0 run to extend its lead to 11-4.
· A kill from Keer and an ace from Kulas sparked a 3-0 Knights run as Arcadia began to mount a comeback.
· Kills from Oursler and Rothschild, along with an ace from Saenz, cut the deficit to 13-11.
· Oursler and Rothschild added two more kills before Rowan went on a 3-0 run to make it 19-13. Orsulak's kill stopped the run, before Small followed with three aces and Keer added a kill to help the Knights tie the set at 19-19.
· Beckett recorded the final kill for the Knights, but Rowan closed out the set with four straight points to take a 25-20 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
SET THREE: Rowan 25, Arcadia 22
· The Knights came out fast in the third set, capitalizing on two Rowan errors and two aces from Saenz to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
· After Rowan tied the set at 6-6, Young recorded a kill to regain the lead for Arcadia, but the Profs responded with a 6-0 run.
· A Rowan service error and a block from Oursler and Keer capped a 2-0 run for Arcadia. Following three straight Rowan errors, the Knights cut the deficit to 14-12.
· Oursler's kill and another ace from Saenz made it a one-point set at 15-14 in favor of Rowan.
· The Knights continued to battle, with Orsulak recording two kills and Beckett and Keer adding blocks, but Rowan closed out the set, 25-22, to hand Arcadia its first loss of the season.
KNIGHT LEADERS
Kills: Oursler (8), Young (7), Orsulak (7)
Aces: Small (6), Saenz (4), Kulas (2)
Blocks: Keer (3), Beckett (2), Rothschild (1)
Assists: Saenz (10), Small (10), Bell (4)
Digs: Bell (14), Small (8), Kulas (7)
GAME TWO: Arcadia 3, Widener 1
SET ONE: Arcadia 27, Widener 25
· Widener got off to a fast start, quickly taking a 4-0 lead before a kill from Orsulak and an ace from Oursler cut the deficit to one.
· The Pride answered with a 3-0 run of their own before Rothschild and Orsulak recorded their first kills of the match, followed by a kill from Young, to make it 8-7 Widener.
· Down 12-8, the Knights grabbed their first lead of the set with a 5-0 run highlighted by an ace from Kailyn Riggi and back-to-back kills from Oursler.
· Rothschild added another kill and Bell fired an ace to tie the set at 17-17. Despite a kill from Orsulak, the Pride went on a 5-1 run to take a 22-18 lead.
· Arcadia responded with six straight points, getting kills from Keer, Beckett and Oursler, a block from Oursler and Keer, and an ace from Kulas to take a 24-22 lead.
· Widener battled back to tie the set at 24-24 and again at 25-25, but back-to-back Pride errors secured the 27-25 victory for the Knights.
SET TWO: Widener 25, Arcadia 15
· The Knights got off to a fast start in the second set, with a kill from Rothschild, an ace from Saenz and blocks from Orsulak and Rothschild helping Arcadia build an early advantage. The Pride responded with a 5-1 run.
· Rothschild, Keer, Young and Oursler each recorded kills, but Widener continued to build its lead.
· Leading 14-11, the Pride used a 6-0 run before a service error halted the momentum. Despite kills from Orsulak and Beckett, Widener closed out the set, 25-15, to even the match at 1-1.
SET THREE: Arcadia 25, Widener 19
· The Knights capitalized on early Widener miscues before Keer's first kill of the set tied the score at 3-3 and sparked a 3-0 run that also included a kill from Beckett.
· Kills from Keer and Oursler, along with a block from Young and Rothschild, gave Arcadia a 12-10 lead.
· Widener answered with a 3-0 run, but the Knights responded with six straight points, including kills from Rothschild, Keer and Orsulak.
· Young and Oursler followed with back-to-back kills to push the Knights' lead to 22-16.
· Oursler and Rothschild recorded the final three kills of the set to secure the 25-19 victory and give Arcadia a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET FOUR: Arcadia 25, Widener 17
· Oursler's kill tied the set at 1-1 before a 5-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Rothschild and two aces from Bell, gave the Knights a 6-2 advantage.
· Kills from Beckett and Rothschild capped a 3-0 run that extended the Arcadia lead to 12-7 before Widener responded with four straight points.
· Arcadia immediately answered with two kills from Orsulak, a kill from Young and an ace from Kulas to take a 17-11 lead.
· A kill from Kulas and an ace from Bell pushed the lead to 19-12 before kills from Young and Keer, along with an ace from Small, made it 23-14.
· Widener attempted a late comeback with a 3-0 run, but two final kills from Beckett secured the 25-17 victory and the 3-1 match win.
KNIGHT LEADERS
Kills: Keer (10), Oursler (10), Rothschild (8)
Aces: Bell (5), Riggi (2), Kulas (2)
Blocks: Keer (4), Rothschild (2), Young (1)
Assists: Saenz (20), Small (19), Riggi (2)
Digs: Bell (12), Kulas (8), Small (8)
UP NEXT
The Knights stay on the road for their final tune-up before conference play begins next weekend. Arcadia travels to Immaculata on Tuesday evening, with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m.
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