SELINSGROVE, PA – Sophomore Leah Fusilli and junior Tessa Grover combined for 26 kills and nine aces to leads the Nazareth University Women's Volleyball team to a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over SUNY Oneonta to salvage a split on the second day of competition at the River Hawks Invitational at Susquehanna University.
Nazareth (1-2) dropped a 3-1 decision to host Susquehanna but set scores of 25-21, 14-25, 16-25 and 19-25 but came back in the next match to defeat Oneonta in five sets. The Red Dragons won the opening set 25-19 but Nazareth tied the score with a 25-11 win in the second set. Oneonta regained the lead with a 25-22 win in the third and the Golden Flyers forced the fifth set with a 25-19 win in the fourth.
The teams traded points early in the tie-breaker before winning seven of nine points midway through the set to take a 9-5 lead. Oneonta scored four straight to tie the score at 9-9.
An attack error gave service back to Nazareth and Grover and Fusilli combined for a block and two kills to give the Golden Flyers a 13-10 edge. Fusilli capped the rally and the match with a pair of aces and the 15-10 win.
The victory is head coach Tara Jehlen's first career win at Nazareth.
Grover, who earned All-Tournament honors, nearly recorded a triple double with 13 kills, 17 assists, eight digs and six assists. Fusilli finished with 13 kills and three aces while sophomore Rylie Loomis had 11 kills and seven digs.
Against Susquehanna, sophomore Jenna Mattison had 13 digs and Grove added 10 kills, nine assists and five digs. Junior Ella Kules chipped in 10 assists and nine digs.
Nazareth returns home and will host the Nazareth Invitational with matches against John Carroll Friday and Heidelberg and Geneseo Saturday.