ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cabrini volleyball team split a pair of matches at today's regular season ending Muhlenberg tri-match, falling to the host Mules 3-2 before dispatching Misericordia 3-0. The Blue and White closed its regular season with an overall record of 23-9, the team's eighth consecutive 20 win season.
Five Cavaliers tallied at least eight kills in the Blue and White's 25-17, 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 17-15 loss to Muhlenberg in the opener.
Senior
Jen Grenauer led the way with 13 kills, moving into second place on Cabrini's career kills list.
Sophomores
Nicole Sokolovich and
Anne-Marie Jones notched double-doubles with 12 kills and 15 digs and 11 kills and 13 digs, respectively.
Senior setter
Cassidy Koenig paired 48 assists with 17 digs and a pair of service aces in the loss. Junior
Kelly Guarino led the Blue and White with 21 digs, while freshmen
Ashley Shannon and
Emily Shannon posted 10 and 15 digs, respectively.
After a tightly contested opening few minutes of the first set, the Mules used a 6-0 spurt to build a nine point cushion, cruising to a first set win.
The second set was tight from the opening whistle, with neither team leading by more than four points. Trailing 23-20 late in the frame, the Blue and White scored the final three points on the set to even the match at 1-1.
Cabrini trailed by as much as 18-13 midway through the third set before making its comeback. The Cavaliers rallied to score seven of the final nine points of the set, including the final three points to take a 2-1 lead.
A 6-0 Muhlenberg run turned a 12-11 Cabrini lead into a 17-12 deficit midway through the fourth set. The hole grew to 24-15 before the Cavaliers fought off six set points, as the Mules evened the score a 2-2.
Both teams built three point leads in the final set, with Muhlenberg claiming a 13-10 late lead. Cabrini battled back to even the frame at 14-14 and 15-15 before the Mules notched the final two points of the match.
The Blue and White regrouped before the nightcap, scoring a dominant 25-11, 25-18, 25-15 win over Misericordia.
Sophomore
Chelsea Jones paced the attack with 10 kills, two more than Sokolovich. Koenig tallied her second double-double of the day with 31 assists and 15 digs. Guarino narrowly missed a career high with six service aces to go with her 22 digs.
The Blue and White ran out to an 8-2 lead and never looked back. The advantage grew to 18-11 before Cabrini scored the final seven points of the set.
Both teams fought for control of the second set, with each gaining early leads. With the set tied at 15-15, the Cavaliers took over, using a 6-0 run to build an insurmountable 23-16 cushion.
Cabrini used a pair of spurts early in the third set to establish a 13-6 lead. The Cougars pulled to within four points several times before a 4-0 pushed the Blue and White lead to 21-13.
By virtue of its 11-0 record in the Colonial States Athletic Conference, the Cavaliers have earned the top seed and home court advantage for next week's postseason conference tournament. As the top seed, Cabrini also earned a bye into Thursday's semifinal round.
On Thursday, the Blue and White will host the lowest remaining seed after Tuesday's opening round matches. Match time will be released next week.
