Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. - In their final non-conference match before opening Landmark Conference play on Saturday, The University of Scranton volleyball team collected an impressive 3-1 win at Ithaca (25-19, 25-21, 14-25, 25-18) on Friday afternoon.

With the victory, the Royals improved to 15-2 overall and won their ninth straight game overall. With 15 victories already, Scranton has matched their entire win total from the 2019 season before conference play even begins tomorrow.

Ithaca fell to 7-7 with the defeat.

Right from the start on Friday, the Royals were impressive, collecting a six-point victory in the first set after opening a late lead on Ithaca. Then, in the second set, Scranton had to rally, as they fell behind the Bombers, 18-13, before going on a 6-1 tear to tie the set up at 19-all.

From there, Scranton took control with the match tied 20-20, as they scored five of the final six points of the second set to take a four-point win and go into the third set up, 2-0.

Ithaca, however, came back to extend the match out to a fourth set after rolling to an 11-point victory in the third set.

But, whatever momentum Ithaca gained in the third set was quickly erased in the fourth set, as Scranton quickly went up 10-4, and never looked back in an eventual seven point win that clinched their second victory of the season over the Bombers.

Overall in the win for Scranton, a familiar face led the attack, as sophomore Stephanie Margolies (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) had a game-high 12 kills and posted 15 digs to notch her eighth double-double of the year and her 12th double-digit kill game of the season.

Elsewhere, senior Eryn Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Westridge School For Girls) had her eighth double-digit kill game of the year, finishing with 10 kills, while hitting .524 on the attack. Setting up that attack was junior Caileigh Cox (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) who had 40 assists to post her eighth game of the year where she had at least 40 assists.

Rounding out the top performances in the win for the Royals was senior Molly Dunfee (King of Prussia, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), who had 18 digs, marking the 12th time she has gone into double-figures in digs in a Scranton game.

It will now be a quick turnaround for the Royals, as they open Landmark Conference play on Saturday morning at 11 AM vs. Catholic in the Long Center. Later in the afternoon, the Royals will then take on Goucher at 6:30 PM.

--ROYALS--