Tartans Start UAA Play with Split

(CLEVELAND, Ohio) - The Carnegie Mellon University volleyball team opened University Athletic Association (UAA) play at the first round robin hosted by Case Western Reserve University. The Tartans split their action on day one, falling 3-0 to #4 Emory University and defeating Case Western Reserve 3-1.

Against Emory (19-1, 1-0), senior Senna Parsa (Bellevue, Wash./Newport) tallied nine kills while junior Ali Celentano (Mission Viejo, Calif./JSerra Catholic) picked up eight kills. Sophomore setter Emily Lawlis (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands College Park) totaled 21 assists while freshman setter Emily Newton (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Chadwick School) collected eight. Defensively, Lawlis led with nine digs.

In the 3-1 win over Case Western (9-11, 0-2), Parsa and Celentano each picked up 16 kills while freshman Jackie Gibbons (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) hit .300 for the match with eight kills. The Tartans were all over the court on defense with Parsa and senior Ali Nichols (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) leading with 22 digs apiece. Freshman Molly Higgins (Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach) contributed 17 digs while Celentano had 16 and Lawlis 14. Lawlis served up 51 assists for the match.

The Tartans (16-5, 1-1) continue UAA play on Sunday with a 10:00 a.m. start time against New York University.