NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Sept. 7, 2018) – Rutgers volleyball swept Howard to kick off the Rutgers Invitational at the College Ave. Gym on Friday before suffering the same fate to Tulane in the afternoon. Freshman setter Inna Balyko enjoyed a record setting day in just her eighth collegiate contest.
 
BALYKO SETS ASSIST RECORD IN SWEEP OF HOWARD
THE LINE
Rutgers (4-4) 3, Howard (5-3) 0 (32-30, 25-17, 27-25)

KNIGHT NOTES

• Balyko set a new program record for assists in a three-set match with 47, easily surpassing the previous mark of 41 set in 2010 and 2012.
• Rutgers has out-blocked opponents in all eight matches this season, winning the margin 10.5 – 4 against Howard.
• RU improved to 4-0 when winning the first set.
• Senior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie (15 kills) has reached double-digit kills in four straight matches, averaging a .472 hitting percentage over that span.
• Rutgers hit over. 350 for the third time this season, improving to 3-0 in those matches.
• The Scarlet Knights improve to 4-1 against the Bison, winning two straight in the series.

STANDOUT STATS

• Freshman outside hitter Anastasiia Maksimova recorded her second career double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs.
• Junior libero Karysa Swackenberg reached double-digits in digs (11) for the third time this season, while leading the team in aces with three, passing out two assists and picking up her first kill of 2018.

THE MOMENTS

• Set 1 | Rutgers saved three set points in extra time with McLetchie getting two kills and Maksimova adding another for the 29-29 tie. Junior middle Jasmine Stackhouse found the floor to set up a Rutgers set-point, which the Bison saved before McLetchie and Maksimova went back-to-back on kills for the marathon 32-30 victory.
• Set 2 | Stackhouse got a kill and a block on consecutive points, as part of a 4-0 run with an ace from Balyko and a kill from McLetchie. Rutgers took control 19-12 at a crucial point in the match.
• Set 3 | Balyko's dump kill and McLetchie's ace stamped a 6-0 spurt for an early 11-7 advantage, which was quickly erased by Howard's 4-0 run. The period remained tight throughout as Rutgers saved a set-point at 24-23 with sophomore right side Beka Kojadinovic's kill. Kojadinovic followed with an ace, then served for the match as McLetchie and freshman middle Merle Weidt combined on the clinching block.

TULANE SWEEPS SCARLET KNIGHTS
THE LINE
Tulane (7-3) 3, Rutgers (4-5) 0 (25-15, 25-18, 28-26)
KNIGHT NOTES

• Freshman outside hitter Tali Marmen made her collegiate debut, starting the second set and getting three kills in the period.
• Tulane moves to 2-1 in the all-time series.
• Rutgers drops to 0-5 when losing the first set.

STANDOUT STATS

• Stackhouse led the offense and defense with 10 kills on a .428 swing clip, along with a team-high six blocks.
• Marmen finished with six kills in her first match.
• Swackenberg brought up a team-high eight digs.

THE MOMENTS

• Set 1 | Tulane built a 20-15 lead before scoring the final five points of the set.
• Set 2 | Rutgers put together a pair of 3-0 runs, paced by McLetchie's two kills and a bounce from freshman Anastasiya Kudryashova. Down 15-13 would be as close as RU could get as a late 6-1 Green Wave push sealed the set.
• Set 3 | Trailing 17-12, the Scarlet Knights rode a Stackhouse kill, junior middle Stasa Miljevic's solo block on a joust at the net, and Swackenberg's ace to a 3-0 run and a two-point deficit.
• Set 3 | Marmen scored three of four consecutive points via kill to hand Rutgers its first lead of the set, 19-18. Tulane, however, saved two set-points and swept the match with a 28-26 victory in extra time.

UP NEXT
Rutgers wraps up its home invitational on Saturday, Sept. 8 against Navy at 1:30 p.m. inside the College Ave. Gym.
 
 
Follow Rutgers Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram (@RUvball) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersVolleyball). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter(@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), Snapchat (@RUAthletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
- RU -