#10 Tartans Open Play at Annual Carnegie Mellon DoubleTree Invitational With a Split

#10 Tartans Open Play at Annual Carnegie Mellon DoubleTree Invitational With a Split

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's volleyball team, ranked 10th nationally, opened the Carnegie Mellon DoubleTree Invitational on Friday with a split of two matches. The Tartans started the night with a 3-0 (28-26, 25-23, 25-14) setback against Susquehanna University before topping Washington and Jefferson College, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16). The Tartans are now 8-1 on the season.

Against Susquehanna, senior Sahara Aqui (Miramar, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) and junior Diana Balta (Media, Pa. / Penncrest) led the offense with eight kills apiece. Sophomore Carrie Stewart (Victor, N.Y./Victor) hit .455 with five kills, as senior Maia So-Holloway (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) handed out 25 assists while classmate Kayla Yew (San Francisco, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) led the team with 14 digs. Balta also tabbed double-digit digs with 10.

In the nightcap win over W&J, the Tartans hit .429 for the match, as sophomore Vivian Beaudoin (Washington, N.J. / Warren Hills) hit .611 with a career-best 11 kills to lead the Tartans. Senior Erika Foose (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) tabbed eight while hitting .727. So-Holloway and freshman Stella Yan (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) combined for 39 of the Cardinal and Gray's 43 assists. So-Holloway handed out 21 and Yan 18. Once again, Yew led with 17 digs.

The Tartans return to action on Saturday, against Hope College and Muskingum University. Play begins at 11:00 a.m.