WILKES BARRE, PA (September 15, 2022) - The King's College Monarchs women's volleyball team put on a show for the fans in their home opener on Thursday night, as they beat the Marywood University Pacers 3-2. The home court advantage continues for the Monarchs as this was their 17th consecutive win at McGrane Gymnasium. With this win the Monarchs improve to 4-2 on the season while the Marywood Pacers fall to 4-4. 

The Monarchs went on an early 7-1 run in in the first set thanks to three kills by captain Kayla Sondberg. A late 14-3 run by the Pacers resulted in them taking the first set from the Monarchs 25-15. 

Looking to redeem themselves in the second set the Monarchs found themselves in a slugfest that saw seven different lead changes and 13 ties. Down 19-13 late in the set the Monarchs climbed their way back in with six consecutive points including kills by Emma Monson and Joy Kindall and a Keely Hoban service ace. The two teams went back-and-forth in the final points before the Monarchs prevailed on another kill by Kindall to earn a much needed 26-24 victory.

Each time the Pacers looked to be getting back into the third set, the Monarchs maintained most their leads. A late 7-1 run by the Monarchs saw kills from Kindall and Theresa Lynch, a pair of blocks by Kathy Shepherd and Bella Salvia/Lynch and a service ace by Morgan Williams to give the Monarchs a  a 25-20 win and 2-1 lead in the match.  In this third set, the Monarchs hit a solid .345 as a team. 

The fourth set was another nail biter which saw nine different ties. With a 24-20 Pacers lead, it looked as though we were headed for a fifth and deciding set. But Bella Salvia had something to say about that as her two kills propelled a four point streak to tie things up. Each time the Pacers faced match point the Monarchs had an answer. But in the end the Pacers took the fourth set 28-26. 

Salvia came through big again in the deciding fifth set serving up a pair of aces early on and getting a kill late in the set. Midway through the set, the Monarchs went on an 8-3 run thanks to a pair of kills by Shepherd to emerge victorious 15-9 and cap off a five set marathon with a 3-2 win.

Sondberg and Kindall led the Monarchs with 10 kills each followed by Salvia's nine. Williams had a major game from on two fronts. She not only led the team this time with 33 digs but in addition had three service aces. Salvia and Adriana Conforti also had three service aces. Williams was followed by Morgan Bryant who registered 12 digs and Carly Shire with eight. Shire also had 18 assists which was second to Hoban's 19. The Monarchs continued to play fine defense with 80 digs versus 71 for the Pacers. The team also out-hit the opposition with a .176 hitting percentage versus their .127.  

Shannon Corr and Casey Hagerstrom each had major games on the offensive front for the Pacers with 18 and 15 kills. Libby Smith had six service aces while Mikayla Meek led the team with 51 assists. Sydney Steiner led the defense with 24 kills. 

The Monarchs will be right back in action on Friday as they will host the Centenary University (New Jersey) Cyclones to start off homecoming weekend at 6:00 PM. Then Pacers will next play on Saturday at Hood College in Elizabethtown, PA at 1:00 PM.