The Stevenson University Mustangs women’s volleyball team defeated Neumann University in a 3-0 sweep during a MAC Commonwealth match on Wednesday at The Mirenda Center in Aston, Pa. Rachel Lenz led the Mustangs with 15 kills and 16.5 points, as Stevenson won the sets 25-23, 25-19, and 25-15.
The victory improved Stevenson to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The Mustangs hit .317 for the match compared with Neumann’s .189 and held a 52-40 advantage in digs.
Stevenson University Women’s Volleyball Rallies in First Set
Neumann opened the match with a 3-0 lead and maintained an advantage through the middle portion of the first set. The Knights led 15-11 before the Mustangs began to cut into the deficit behind attacks from Sydney Salazar and Lenz.
Stevenson trimmed the margin to 16-15 and later rallied from a 21-18 deficit to tie the set at 21-21. After the teams exchanged points, Stevenson took a 24-23 lead and closed the opener with a kill from Courtney Foose for a 25-23 win.
Mustangs Pull Away in Final Two Sets
The Mustangs took an early 7-2 lead in the second set behind Zoe Folk’s service sequence. Neumann responded with a 16-15 advantage, but Stevenson answered with a 5-2 run to move ahead 20-18 before finishing the set, 25-19.
Stevenson carried the lead into the third set, building advantages of 7-3, 13-6 and 18-10. The Mustangs reached a 23-14 lead before closing out the sweep with a 25-15 victory.
Rachel Lenz Leads Stevenson Attack
Lenz finished with 15 kills and hit .312. Salazar added 12 kills while hitting .400, and Autumn Henry recorded nine kills with a .444 hitting percentage.
Maren Zepfel contributed four kills, while Lillianna Hornickle added two. Foose recorded 21 assists, and Declyn Tooze added 13 assists for Stevenson.
Isabella Terra posted eight digs, while Lilly Eichelberger added 12. Stevenson’s .317 hitting percentage and 52-40 edge in digs helped the Mustangs complete the three-set victory.
Next Match for Stevenson University Women’s Volleyball
The Mustangs will host Christopher Newport and Notre Dame of Maryland in a tri-match Friday, September 25, beginning at 3:30 p.m. This event will be Stevenson’s next opportunity to continue its 2-0 start in MAC Commonwealth play.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Stevenson University’s women’s volleyball combined a .317 hitting percentage with a 52-40 advantage in digs to sweep Neumann. Rachel Lenz led the attack with 15 kills, while Sydney Salazar and Autumn Henry also recorded efficient hitting performances.
The Mustangs’ comeback in the opening set established control of the match, which they followed with set victories of 25-19 and 25-15. This win moved Stevenson to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Source: Original report
