Rachael Cisto	Brittany Cafiero	Julia Crilly
Stephanie Klug	Danielle Cafiero	Lizzy Zimmermann

Box (Scranton-Neumann)
Box (Scranton-Haverford)

ASTON, Pa.—Jamie Spangler’s plan to revitalize The University of Scranton volleyball team is way ahead of schedule.

After winning just 12 matches in his first season as head coach last year, Spangler has guided the Royals to 10 wins already after splitting a pair of matches today at the Neumann Invitational.

The Royals shook off a 3-1 loss to Neumann this morning with a 3-2 victory over Haverford this afternoon. Last fall, Scranton didn’t record its 10th win until October 26.

Against Haverford, junior Rachael Cisto (Oxford, Conn./Sacred Heart Academy) put on a dominating performance, finishing with a career-high 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .516, which included only one hitting error.  Scranton also received 17 kills and 25 digs from senior outside hitter Julia Crilly (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute), 14 kills and six total blocks from junior middle hitter Stephanie Klug (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood), and 10 kills, nine digs, and five service aces from junior outside hitter Lizzy Zimmermann (Livingston, NJ/Livingston).

Sophomore setter Brittany Cafiero (Merrick, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) continues to keep the offense on track, accounting for a career-high 51 assists on the 65 kills that the Royals recorded.  Defensively, she finished with 12 digs.  Her twin sister, sophomore libero Danielle Cafiero (Merrick, NY/Kellenberg Memorial), also played a key role in today’s win with 20 digs.

After committing nine hitting errors in the first two sets, the Royals settled down and had only four more the rest of the way.

In its loss to Neumann this morning, Scranton had trouble keeping the ball in play, especially after hitting a respectable .200 in winning the first set, 25-23.  The Royals then hit just .098 in the second set, .091 in the third, and had as many errors and kills in the fourth set (.000).  

Crilly led the way against Neumann with 11 kills and 18 digs and the Cafiero twins combined for 38 digs.  Scranton, now 10-3, also received 14 digs from Zimmermann and 11 from freshman Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Parkland).

The Royals will return to action on Tuesday, September 16, against Baptist Bible College beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Long Center.  The match is open to the public and admission is free.

--ROYALS--