Kristin Kirwan	Kindler Norman	Regina Schetroma

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For only the second time in program history, the University of Scranton volleyball team has won at least 30 matches in a season, as the Royals knocked off both Gallaudet and Lebanon Valley in straight sets on Friday in our nation's capital.

With the victories, Scranton is now 31-2 overall for the year, marking the highest win total in a season for a Royals team since 1994, when Scranton finished 31-13. The Royals are now winners of nine in a row and 19 of their last 20, as well.

Scranton 3, Gallaudet 0 (25-23, 25-16, 26-24) | Box Score
In their first match of the afternoon against host Gallaudet, Scranton notched a three-set victory, in a match where the Royals gutted out tough victories in both the first and third sets.

In the first set, Scranton led 23-20 late, only the see Gallaudet score three points in a row to tie it up at 23-all. But, a Gallaudet service error gave the Royals the edge at 24-23, then on the next serve, sophomore Victoria Capogna (Farmingdale, N.Y./St. Anthony's) ended the set with a kill, putting up Scranton 1-0 in the match.

After breezing to a nine-point win in the second game, Gallaudet once again rallied late in a game against the Royals in the third. With the Royals up 24-22 and poised to end the contest, Gallaudet scored two points in a row to send it to a tiebreak at 24-all.

But, the Royals collected themselves and scored two consecutive points to end it, as junior Megan Monastra (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and freshman Kindler Norman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) finished off Gallaudet for the day with a pair of kills.

Overall in the Gallaudet match, Monastra and fellow junior Kristin Kirwan (Park Ridge, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy) led the Royals attack, finishing with 11 kills, apiece. Kirwan also posted a double-double in the win, finishing with 11 digs.

Elsewhere, Capogna had eight kills and seven digs, while Norman finished with a match-high 32 assists. On defense, freshman libero Regina Schetroma (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) led the way with 14 digs, while senior Morgan Rentzheimer (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) chipped in with 10 digs. Also, senior Catherine Manning (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) ended the match with four blocks up front (one solo).

Scranton 3, Lebanon Valley 0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-23) | Box Score
The Royals did more of the same in their second game of the afternoon, making quick work of Lebanon Valley. The three-set win was the fourth in the last five games for Scranton, as well as their 20th straight-set win of the regular season.

In the win, Scranton rolled in the first two sets to go up 2-0 but trailed late in the third set to LVC, 23-22. But, the Royals ended the match scoring three points in a row, as Kirwan finished LVC off with a kill with the Royals up 24-23.

Overall in the Lebanon Valley win, Kirwan finished with 15 kills, while Capogna and fellow sophomore Kate Calabro (Seaford, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) ended with eight kills, apiece. Norman had 31 assists, while Schetroma finished with 15 digs. Rentzheimer, meanwhile, ended the last match of the night with 14 digs.

The University of Scranton volleyball team returns to action on Saturday, as they take on Gettysburg (2 p.m.) and host Swarthmore (4 p.m.) in a pair of non-conference matches on the road.

--ROYALS--