BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Aug. 31, 2018) – Rutgers volleyball picked up its first win of the season – a straight set victory over Coppin State with a school-record 14 service aces – before falling to host Lehigh in five on the opening day of Lehigh and Lafayette's Crosstown Tournament.
 
ACE RECORD FALLS IN SWEEP OF COPPIN STATE
THE LINE
Rutgers (1-3) 3, Coppin State (1-4) 0 – 25-11, 25-11, 25-10
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• With 14 aces, Rutgers establishes a new program record for a single match in the 25-point rally-scoring era (2008). It's the most aces in a match since 13 in a five-setter against Buffalo last season, and the most in a three-set match since 12 against Marist in 2007.
• Rutgers did not commit a reception error or ball handling error in the victory.
• RU's .377 hitting percentage was the team's highest in a match since swinging .436 against Hartford more than two years ago, Aug. 27, 2016.
• Rutgers has out-blocked opponents in all four matches this season.
• Rutgers improves to 3-0 against Coppin State all-time.

STANDOUT STATISTICS

• Senior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie recorded a season-high in kills for the Scarlet Knights with 18 on a career-best .593 attack percentage, adding four aces in Rutgers' record serving performance.
• Freshman setter Inna Balyko passed out 31 assists, and recorded the second most aces in a single match in Rutgers rally-scoring history with five.
• Freshman outside hitter Anastasiia Maksimova reached double-digits in kills for the first time, totaling 13 to lead all players in the match.
• Junior middle Stasa Miljevic paced the Scarlet Knights' 10 team block effort with six assists and a solo.

THE MOMENTS

• Set 1 | McLetchie started dealing the aces with four straight during a 5-0 run, leading to a 15-7 advantage. The stanza ended set on a 19-5 run for the Scarlet Knights with seven team aces and four kills from freshman middle Merle Weidt on an .800 swing percentage.
• Set 2 | A 7-0 run sparked by two Balyko aces fed into a 10-1 spurt to take control 21-8.
• Set 3 | Another dominant run of 7-1 aided a 9-2 lead behind another two aces, this time from junior libero Karysa Swackenberg.

LEHIGH OUTLASTS SCARLET KNIGHTS IN FIVE-SET CLASH
THE LINE
Lehigh (3-0) 3, Rutgers (1-4) 2 – 25-21, 25-15, 21-25, 17-25, 15-6
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• Maksimova earned her first career double-double with a career-high marks of 11 kills and 13 digs.
• Rutgers has out-blocked every opponent this season through five contests.
• The Scarlet Knights' 14 total team blocks are a season-high, and the most in a match since a three-setter at Wisconsin on Oct. 30, 2016.
• Lehigh cuts into Rutgers' all-time series lead, which now stands at 11-4. The Mountain Hawks ended Rutgers' four-match winning streak in the series.

STANDOUT STATISTICS

• McLetchie again led in kills with 13, adding a career-high four solo blocks.
• Sophomore right side Beka Kojadinovic added nine kills, while leading the squad in digs with 15 and totaling four blocks.
• Junior libero Karysa Swackenberg served two aces along with her 11 digs and two assists.

THE MOMENTS

• Set 1 | The Mountain Hawks built a 15-12 lead with a 6-1 run. Rutgers' Serbians – Miljevic and sophomore right side Beka Kojadinovic – combined on a block to disrupt the streak. Later, McLetchie kept RU in the set with three kills down the stretch, including a saved set-point at 24-20 with her sixth kill of the period before Lehigh closed it out.
• Set 2 | An early 5-0 Lehigh run gave the home team a 9-3 advantage, which they would not relinquish.
• Set 3 | McLetchie's 10^th kill of the match gave RU a 15-12 lead heading into the media timeout, shifting momentum as part of a 6-1 run. Kojadinovic had a key kill at 23-20 and McLetchie clinched the set with a strong kill off a block.
• Set 4 | Three straight kills from junior middle Jasmine Stackhouse, Kojadinovic and Maksimova hand Rutgers an 11-7 lead. RU again received clutch offense down the stretch with kills from Stackhouse at 22-17 and Cieslik to set up set-point at 24-17.
• Set 5 | The Mountain Hawks came out firing in the fateful fifth, jumping to a 7-3 lead and maintaining the edge through a 15-6 victory.

 
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights wrap up the Crosstown Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 1 with a short trip to Easton, Pa. for matches at Lafayette against the host Leopards (10 a.m.) and Rider (1 p.m.).
 
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