Volleyball Hangs Tough in Weekend Tournament

Sept. 1 – (ADA, Ohio) – With a new volleyball season started, the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans opened the season with a 3-1 win over the College of Wooster before falling in three tough matches to finish the weekend 1-3.

The Tartans played no less than four games in each match including battling back against the host Polar Bears of Ohio Northern University to force a game five.

"There were many times we could have folded," commented Head Coach Kim Kelly. "But we just buckled down and kept fighting."

Senior Abbie Toney (Des Moines, Iowa/Johnston) led the offensive attack against Ohio Northern with 22 kills. She totaled 81 for the tournament. Sophomore Samantha Carter (San Antonio, Texas/O'Connor) collected 33 assists against the Polar Bears along with three service aces, six digs, one block solo and two block assists. Also contributing on offense were junior Chisom Amaechi (New Haven, Conn./Hopkins), sophomore Jessica Brackin (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) and freshman Caroline Size (Lewes, Del./Saint Thomas Moore) each with eight kills. Brackin also had two block solos and three block assists. Freshman Cameron Griffin (Lake Forest, Ill.) totaled 10 digs defensively.

Senior Kate Stepp (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) had a double-double against Hope College with 13 kills and 10 digs, in a match the Tartans lost in five. She also had 12 kills against the College of Mount Saint Joseph. Carter picked up 41 assist and five digs against Mount Saint Joseph as three of the four games had both teams reach 30 or more points.

The Tartans lone win of the tournament came in their opener against Wooster as Brackin led with 11 kills and eight blocks. Toney and Amaechi also had double digit kills with 12 and 10, respectively. Carter, Griffin and sophomore Cara Fatagati (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) each had nine digs, while Carter picked up 25 assists.

The Tartans will look to take some momentum into their match at Saint Vincent on Wednesday, September 5.