Tartans Continue Perfect Start

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Carnegie Mellon University's volleyball team continued play at the 2019 Spartans Invitational hosted by Case Western Reserve University on Saturday and defeated Utica College and Kenyon College. With the two wins, the Tartans start the season with a mark of 3-0.

In the opening match of the day, Carnegie Mellon defeated Utica 3-0 (25-12, 25-9, 25-7). Junior Diana Balta (Media, Pa./Penncrest) led the charge with nine kills while senior Sahara Aqui (Miramar, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) and sophomore Anna Cao (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) each had eight in the win. The eight kills for Cao was a career-best.

Senior Maia So-Holloway (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) and freshman Stella Yan (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) combined for 24 of the Tartans 43 assists. So-Holloway tabbed 19 and Yan finished with 15.

In the nightcap, the Tartans won 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-20) over Kenyon. Balta led with 11 kills while sophomore Carrie Stewart (Victor, N.Y./Victor) added nine. So-Holloway handed out 20 assists and three service aces. Yan tabbed four service aces in the win.

Senior Kayla Yew (San Francisco, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) recorded 14 digs to lead the defense with Aqui having four block assists and one block solo. Senior Erika Foose (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), sophomore Vivian Beaudoin (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills), Balta and Stewart each added two block assists.

The Tartans will continue play on Saturday with a 10:00 a.m. contest against Utica College before playing Kenyon College at 2:00 p.m.