SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton volleyball team (7-7) split a pair of matches against Messiah and Rowan on Day Two of the Electric City Invitational on Saturday at the John Long Center in Scranton.

The Royals started the day with a 3-1 victory over Rowan (13-2) before dropping a 3-1 decision to the Falcons of Messiah (13-1) in the nightcap.

Scranton 3, Rowan 1 (25-21, 15-25, 25-18, 25-17)

The two teams traded points for a majority of the first set and things were even at 17 apiece when junior Stephanie Margolies (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) came through with a kill to give the Royals the lead. Head coach Jamie Spangler's team would take the next four points, which included two more kills from Margolies, to take a 22-17 lead and the eventual 25-21 victory in the first set.

Rowan was able to even the match at one set apiece with a strong second set as they broke a seven all deadlock by taking 10 of the 13 points to open up a 17-11 advantage. Consecutive errors from Rowan brought the Royals back within four at 17-13, but that was the closest they would get as the Profs posted a 25-15 victory in the second set.

In the third set, the Profs held a 13-11 lead before a kill from senior Caileigh Cox (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) ignited a five point run capped by a Rowan attacking error that made it 16-13 in favor of the Royals. Rowan was able to draw back within two on three different occasions over the remainder of the set, but sophomoreSophia Hadjiyane (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn) came through with three kills down the stretch in the 25-18 set win.

The fourth and final set proved to be a back and forth affair as Rowan held an early 10-4 lead before Scranton rallied to take a 15-11 lead and the two teams eventually found themselves tied at 17. From there, Hadjiyane slammed home a kill and Scranton took the final eight points of the set to seal the four set win at 25-17.

Senior Abby Rzucidlo (Garnet Valley, Pa./Ursuline Academy) came through with three kills for the Royals during the afore-mentioned eight point run.

Fellow senior Carah Vitkus (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) led the Royals with 17 kills in the win, while the trio of Hadjiyane, Margolies and freshman Deanna Whelpley (Congers, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Academy) added eight apiece. Cox came through with 39 assists and 12 digs to go along with 26 digs from freshman Maddie Forry (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and 25 from Vitkus.

Messiah 3, Scranton 1 (27-25, 17-25, 22-25, 19-25)

The first set featured the two teams trading points for much of it and after consecutive kills from Vitkus gave Scranton a slight 14-13 lead, Messiah took four of the next five points for a 17-15 advantage. From there, things were even at 23 apiece and sophomore Erin Keaveney (Collegeville, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) came through in the clutch with two kills in the final four Scranton points for the 27-25 victory in the first set.

Messiah used an eight point run in the early stages of the second set that turned a 7-6 deficit into a 14-7 lead to take control of the second set en route to a 25-17 win that evened the match. The Falcons did not trail in the third set and led 20-13 before a valiant late rally by the Royals, who drew within two at 23-21 and 24-22, but Messiah's Mackenzie Feight closed the set out with a kill.

After Vitkus delivered a kill in the fourth set for a 16-14 Scranton lead, the Falcons put together a late rally to take the lead by taking eight of the final 10 points for a 25-19 win in the fourth set.

Vitkus once again led the Royals with 11 kills and Keaveney had 10, while Cox helped set up the attack with 31 assists.

Cox also added four kills, two service aces and nine digs.

Defensively, Forry led the way with 21 digs and Vitkus contributed 19 of her own.

Feight paced Messiah with 18 kills in the match.

The University of Scranton volleyball teams hosts Misericordia in a non-conference match on Tuesday night at the John Long Center with first serve slated for 7 p.m.

--ROYALS--