MIDDLETOWN, Penn. (Sept. 14, 2024) – The Rutgers University-Camden volleyball team had a marathon day at Penn State University-Harrisburg here Saturday as it came away with a split in a tri-match with the host team and Wilkes University.
 
The Scarlet Raptors played nine sets in their two matches, outlasting Wilkes, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 24-26, 21-25 and 15-6) before losing, 3-1, to Penn State-Harrisburg (25-14, 25-17, 16-25 and 25-8).
 
In the other match of the day, PSU-Harrisburg swept Wilkes, 3-0 (25-18, 28-26, 25-19).
 
The results leave Rutgers-Camden with a 3-6 record, while Penn State-Harrisburg is 7-2 and Wilkes is 1-4.
 
The Scarlet Raptors host Ursinus College Tuesday at 7 p.m.
   
The Scarlet Raptors won the first two sets, lost close decisions in the third and fourth sets, and won the decisive fifth set, 15-6.
 
In the fifth set, the Scarlet Raptors held a 5-4 lead before rattling off six straight points to open up the margin. The Scarlet Raptors' run included a service ace by sophomore outside hitter/right side Sofia Granieri, a combined block by sophomore middle hitter/right side Mia Francis and junior middle blocker/right side Jessica Wiemer, and a run-capping kill by freshman outside hitter/right side Maria Theruviparambil. Leading, 11-6, Rutgers-Camden scored the last four points to wrap up the victory, aided by a Wilkes error, a kill by Francis, an ace by sophomore defensive specialist/setter Mia Owens and a match-clinching kill by freshman middle blocker Gabby Gbolahan.
 
For the match, Rutgers-Camden drilled 54 kills, led by Gbolahan (11 kills, .458 hitting), Theruviparambil (10), Granieri (9) and eight from both Francis and senior middle hitter/right side Kaitlyn Parrish.
 
Sophomore setter JoAnna Andrews had a double-double of 22 assists and 14 digs, while junior setter Avery Ang also had 22 assists. Owens led the team with 27 digs and three service aces and Granieri added 16 digs.
 
Parrish led the team with three blocks, including one solo and two assisted.
   
The Raptors received nine kills apiece from Gbolahan and Theruviparambil, while Granieri notched seven kills and 12 digs.
 
Ang collected a double-double of 17 assists and 10 digs, while adding two service aces. Andrews notched 10 assists.
 
Owens collected a match-high 25 digs, while adding two service aces.
 
For the Nittany Lions, sophomore Brianna Ondishin Ribon and freshman Emily Miller had 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Freshman Mackenzy Miller dished off 29 assists. Both Ondishin Ribon and Miller completed double-doubles with 14 and 10 digs, respectively.