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`After starting the season at 0-4 the Millersville University volleyball team has gone 6-2 in their last eight matches.
In consecutive weekends, the Marauders have taken part in tournaments, and most recently the team traveled to Syracuse, New York for the Le Moyne tournament. They posted a 3-1 record during the two day event. In between the tournaments was a non-conference matchup against Goldey-Beacom College on Thursday of last week. The Marauders come out on top as victors by defeating the Lightning in three straight sets.
The Lightning entered Pucillo Gymnasium with a 2-2 record looking to defeat the Marauders who were riding the heels of a 3-1 record posted in the one day Dutch County Spiketacular tournament in the same gym the weekend before. The Marauders, however, picked up right where they left off and continued their strong play and defeated The Lightning fairly easily.
Millersville won each set during the match with scores of 25-12, 25-14, and 25-18. Sophomore Alison Huss and senior Meredith Sinback each paced the Marauders with their strong play. Huss led the team with six digs and added eight kills with just one error. Sinback compiled 14 assists, seven kills, and four service aces as she contributed with her wonderful all-around play.
Following their victory against the Lightning, the team headed north for their second tournament in two weeks. Millersville opened the day against the host team of the tournament Le Moyne College.
Millersville fell in four close sets. The Marauders lost the first set 25-17, won the second 27-25 and dropped the next two by scores of 25-20 and 26-24 respectively. Sinback did all she could to keep the Marauders close as she tallied 10 kills, 19 assists and only one error in all four games. Sadly, it would not be enough for Millersville pull out the victory.
The Marauders were able to shake off the tough loss in their first match of the day and dominate the rest of the tournament. “We’re very tough mentally,” Sinback said. “We have the ability to put together some big comebacks. We have had some slow starts but we’ve somehow been able to shake them off and finish games.”
Millersville’s second match of the day came against American International College, and the Marauders would go on to win in straight sets 25-13, 25-23 and 25-17. Freshman Jill Toronchuk led the Marauders with 10 kills and 19 digs as they closed out day one of the tournament with a 1-1 record.
The Marauders followed up a strong first day of the Le Moyne tournment, with even more impressive second day. The first match came against the Dominican College and the Marauders pulled away with a win in three straight sets by scores of 26-24, 25-19, and 25-13. Millersville used a balanced attack and spread their 27 kills out evenly amongst the team to pull away with the victory.
The teams second match of the day resulted in yet another victory. This time, the Marauders squared off against C.W. Post and yet again, won in straight sets 25-12, 25-9, and 25-13. Millersville once again used a balanced play to top Post and bump their two day tournament record to 3-1. The easy victories raised Millersville’s record to 6-6 on the year.
Millersville has kept busy early this season by traveling all over in order to prepare for conference play. “It’s exhausting, but at the same time the team realizes in order to face good competition we have to do it,” Sinback said.
The team’s next match will be Friday at IUP at 2:30 p.m. Millersville will play in a few PSAC crossover games before they enter their conference schedule. “I’m not too sure what the other teams have to offer. But I have a feeling we can play with any of the top teams,” Sinback said.