SELINSGROVE, PA (October 9, 2021) -- The Susquehanna University women's volleyball team finished the weekend in grand style Saturday in action from the 16th Annual River Hawk Classic, topping York College of Pennsylvania 3-1 while sweeping the University of Rochester 3-0 in play from O.W. Houts Gymnasium. SU knocked off York 27-25, 25-15, 25-27, 25-16, while knocking off Rochester 25-11, 25-22 and 25-18. The day also marked the two-year anniversary from the addition of Bromwyn Keener to the SU team, who was in attendance for the victories. 

Bromwyn and the River Hawks were paired up two years ago through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization aiming to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers and to raise awareness through their Adopt-a-Child, Safe on the Sidelines, and Guardian Angel programs. 

Match 1: SU 3, York 1
The River Hawks needed a massive rally in the opening set to take an early match, as the squad trailed by as much as nine points at 13-4 in the first stanza. SU responded with five straight points, getting strong serving from Emily Kyle, but the Spartans answered by pushing its lead back up to 16-10. York led by seven at 23-16, but Susquehanna didn't quit thanks to two kills by Rosina Esposito and a block by Madison Rockey and Paige Sfiroudis to make it 23-20. After a kill from YCP's Claire Shorb to make it set point for the Spartans, the hosts rattled off five straight points thanks to two more kills from Esposito and two blocks by Sfiroudis to take a 25-24 lead. The winning point for SU would come thanks to another rejection, as Sfiroudis and Riley O'Dowd denied Shorb to lift the River Hawks to a 1-0 lead. 

The second set saw the River Hawks hit .200 while adding three service aces, holding a comfortable lead for much of the set to make it a 2-0 lead. York College wouldn't roll over, as the Spartans fought off a match point at 25-24 with a kill by Bryana Shepard followed by a kill from Tyler Williams and an aced from Abby Diehl to take the third set. Susquehanna would show its resolve though, putting together a 13-2 run midway through the set to take a 19-10 lead. After YCP cut the host's lead to 21-16, SU rattled off four straight to clinch the match with Kody Dillon hammering down a kill to give the River Hawks the win. 

Esposito finished with a team-best 15 kills, registering another double-double with 10 digs as well, while O'Dowd also was solid with 14 kills and five assisted blocks. Dillon added six kills, and Brooke LaCesa totaled six kills and four assisted rejections. Lizzie Herestofa led the team with 21 digs, and Madison Rockey finished with 23 assists. Keira Roach also posted 16 helpers, four aces and eight digs, while Megan Nelson chalked up two service aces and nine digs. SU hit .197 for the match, while finishing with 12 total blocks, including nine from Sfiroudis. 

Match 2: SU 3, Rochester 0
The River Hawks hit .225 for the match, while holding the University of Rochester to .010 hitting in posting a three-set victory. The River Hawks led for the majority of the match, with only three tie scores coming in the second set with just two lead changes the entire match. 

Susquehanna dominated from the service line in the opening set, making it difficult to get into system offensively as the River Hawks held Rochester just six kills. Esposito posted five kills in the first set to lead the way for Susquehanna, while O'Dowd also added four.

The second set looked like it was going to be another big win for the River Hawks, as they led by as many as 11 points at 21-10, but Rochester rallied to as close as two at 23-21 lead in the stanza. Nelson would register a kill to stop the run for Rochester, and two points later Dillon powered down a kill to clinch the set. Herestofa had eight digs in the second set, as SU struggled to side out at just a 40 percent clip despite winning the period. In the third, the offense came to life with 13 kills for Susquehanna including seven from O'Dowd to earn the sweep for the tournament. 

O'Dowd totaled 13 kills on 30 attempts, hitting .333 for the match, with Esposito chipping in with 10 kills and nine digs. Herestofa finished with a team-best 21 digs, and Rockey tallied 19 assists. Kyle posted a team-leading three aces, contributing five digs as well, while Nelson posted six digs as well. The River Hawk net defense continued to be strong, posting eight blocks, led by the six total blocks from LaCesa. 

Up Next

• Susquehanna (14-5) will look to earn its fourth-straight victory on Wednesday, heading to Baltimore, MD for Landmark Conference action with Goucher College at 7 p.m. 

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