ASTON, Pa. – The Ursinus Volleyball team split a pair of matches to wrap up the Neumann Knights Invitational on Saturday. The Bears defeated Widener 3-1 (26-24, 19-25, 25-18, 25-12) before getting downed in straight sets by Rowan (25-21, 25-17, 25-19).
 
 
The Bears record moves to 2-4 after their split this weekend. First-year Lauren McGinn was named to the Neumann All-Tournament team following a strong weekend that saw her total 19 kills, 18 digs, and five aces in three matches.
 
Ursinus 3, Widener 1
 
After some back and forth action to start the first set, the Pride pulled ahead 8-5 after winning three of the four previous points. The Bears moved within one point of Widener at 11-10 after taking five of the next eight points. Ursinus then stormed ahead by winning seven of the next nine points after trailing 12-10 to go up 17-14. Widener responded by winning six of the next of the next seven points to go back up 20-18 and countered back-to-back Ursinus points to move to set point up 24-22. However, the Bears won four straight points to steal the set behind two kills from senior Reena Robinson.
 
 
Ursinus continued momentum from the first set by taking an early 6-2 lead in the second set. The Bears stretched its lead to 10-5 and eventually worked it out to 14-9. However, the Pride completely took over the set by taking 11 of the next 13 points to go up 20-16 including six straight points to start the run. Ursinus got within two points at 20-18 but would get no closer as the Pride evened up the match.
 
 
Widener took an opening 4-1 advantage to start the third set before the Bears seized back momentum of the set and the match. Trailing 5-3, the Bears won 12 of the next 15 points to go up 15-8 by taking advantage of numerous Pride attack errors along with hitting on kills. Ursinus stretched its lead to as much as 11 points at 22-11 and staved off a late Widener rally that saw them get within five at 23-18 to go up 2-1 in the match.
 
 
The Bears ripped off five straight points after Widener won the first point of the fourth set and stretched its lead out to 11-4 behind dominant hitting. The Pride won five of the next seven points to get within 13-9, but the Bears locked down the set and the match by winning 12 of the last 15 points to dominate the fourth set.
 
Four Bears tallied double-digit kills led by senior Mel Eglinton and Robinson with 11 while McGinn plus senior Lexi Couch added 10. Eglinton completed a kill-dig double-double with 12 digs while adding three blocks. McGinn added seven digs and two aces while senior Erin Dychdala paced the Bears offense with 20 assists while posting 11 digs.
 
 
Rowan 3, Ursinus 0
 
The teams traded runs to start the first set as the Bears went up 4-2 before the Profs won three straight points to go up 5-4. Ursinus went up 8-7 until Rowan won nine of the next 12 points to take a 16-11 advantage. Rowan worked its lead out to 19-12 and the Bears made multiple runs at the Profs lead but ultimately could get no closer than three points down the stretch.
 
 
The Bears led 4-3 early in the second set, but Rowan took 12 of the next 13 points to take a commanding 13-5 advantage behind three aces and four kills. The Profs stretched its lead out to as many as 11 points on two separate occasions in the set and Ursinus could only get within seven points after the initial big Profs run.
 
 
Ursinus hung tough to start the third set as the lead traded hands seven times. Neither team was able to gain a lead by as more than a point until the Bears went up 10-8 after an ace from Dychdala. Ursinus led 14-12 until Rowan won four of the next five points to gain the lead back at 16-15. Eglinton tied the set with a kill before the Profs delivered the decisive run by taking seven of the next eight points to go up 23-17. The teams then traded points to close out the set and match.
 
 
Robinson tallied her second double-digit kill output of the game with 10 while Eglinton added eight kills plus three digs and two aces. Junior Alonna McCummings posted seven kills and Dychdala added 23 asissts, six digs, two ace, plus a kill.
 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday, September 9th as they will host Stockton for their home opener starting at 7:00 p.m.