ASTON, Pa. – The Ursinus Volleyball team bounced back with a pair of five-set wins on the second day of the Neumann Knights Invitational. The Bears bested DeSales (23-25, 25-15, 25-14, 21-25, 15-13) before overcoming a 2-0 set deficit to Rowan (18-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-12).
 
 
With the wins, the Bears improved to 5-3 overall and took two of three at the Neumann Knights Invitational.
 

Junior Mel Eglinton was named to the Neumann All-Tournament team behind two big games in the tournament for the Bears. On Saturday, Eglinton matched her career-high with 17 kills against DeSales and recorded 13 digs while hitting a sizzling .412. Eglinton posted seven kills and six digs against the Profs. Senior Caroline Sherman posted 12 kills against DeSales and 16 kills against Rowan while eclipsing the 100-career ace plateau. Junior Lexi Couch added a pair of double-digit kill outings with 11 against DeSales and 13 against Rowan. Junior Reena Robinson had a huge game against Rowan with 13 kills off a .480 hitting percentage. Senior Rachel Bernard totaled 28 assists in each contest while junior setter Erin Dychdala combined for 46 assists (26 and 20).
 
 
Ursinus 3, DeSales 2
 
The first set saw each team trade runs that eventually left the Bears up 10-7 following a pair of Bulldog errors. Ursinus worked its lead out to 12-9 until DeSales stormed ahead by winning 11 of the next 13 points to go up 20-14. However, the Bears turned in a furious rally by taking 8 of the next 11 points to make it 23-22. Ursinus staved off a set point with a kill by sophomore Daejah Bazemore but DeSales returned the favor to take the lead in the match.
 
 
Ursinus hit the ground running in the second set by winning the first four points and extended their advantage to 7-2. The Bears continued to build their lead in the second set and won six of seven points while leading 8-5 to go up 14-6. Ursinus was in complete control the rest of the way as they built a lead by as many as 10 points to level the match at one.
 
 
After a back and forth start to the third set, Ursinus broke open a 4-4 tie by winning seven of the next eight points to go up 11-5. The Bears extended their lead to 19-9 after winning six of seven points and took control of the third set. Ursinus ended up winning the third set by 11 and went into the fourth set with the advantage.
 
 
With their backs against the wall, DeSales started fast in the fourth set and took an early 7-3 lead after winning four straight points. Ursinus could only get within two points of the Bulldogs as DeSales maintained a lead for the rest of the set after that early run. DeSales won two of the final three points to force a fifth set.
 
 
DeSales won the first two points of the fifth set, but Ursinus responded with four straight of their own to go up 4-2. Down 5-3, the Bulldogs won four straight points to go up 7-5 and the Bears countered again with back-to-back points that tied things at seven. DeSales pushed ahead at 11-10 and Ursinus took it right back with two straight points to go up 12-11. The set tied up twice which left things at 13-all before Couch delivered the go-ahead kill and an attack error from DeSales locked up the win for Ursinus.
 
 
Ursinus 3, Rowan 2
 
Rowan won the first three points of the first set and won six straight points up 6-4 to take a commanding 12-4 lead. The Bears won six of seven points to cut the deficit down to 13-10 to only have the Profs respond by winning five of six to go up 18-11. Ursinus pulled back within 20-16 of Rowan but the Profs won five of the next seven points to take set one at 25-18.
 
 
Neither team was able to break past a two-point lead in the first part of the second set until the Bears broke through after pulling ahead at 13-12. Ursinus used four straight points to go up 17-12 and staved off a Rowan run to go up 20-17 after a pair of kills from Robinson plus Couch. However, Rowan won seven of the next nine points to take a 24-22 lead and answered a kill by Sherman to go up 2-0 in the match.
 
 
After each team traded runs in the first part of the third set, the Profs seemed to take control with six straight points and took a 16-11 advantage. However, Ursinus got back within one point at 18-17 and stormed ahead by taking six of seven points to go up 23-20. Rowan won back-to-back points to make it a 23-22 game before Ursinus forced a fourth set with two straight points of their own.
 
 
Using momentum from forcing the fourth set, the Bears went up 7-3 and extended its advantage out to 10-5. Ursinus turned the tide of the set and match by winning seven straight points after leading 13-9 and held a 20-9 advantage. Rowan could only get within seven points in the rest of the fourth set and the Bears won three of the last five points to force their second five-set match of the day.
 
 
The Bears won the first two points of the fifth set and worked their lead out to 5-3. Rowan answered with three straight points to go up 6-5, but the Bears won six straight points and held an 11-6 lead. Eglinton closed the run with three straight kills while Sherman added two aces. The Profs stormed back by winning six of the next seven points to tie the set at 12, but back-to-back attack errors followed by an ace from Bernard completed the Bears comeback.
 
 
Ursinus returns to action on Tuesday, September 17th as they will travel to face Rutgers-Camden at 7:00 p.m.