ASTON, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College volleyball team was topped by Rowan University in a 3-1 final on Friday afternoon at the Knights Invitational hosted by Neumann University.

After the Falcons won the opening set 25-20, the Profs went on to win the next three sets (25-10, 25-14, 25-16) to take the match.

In the first set after a kill by senior Isabel Kirchner (Drexel Hill, Pa.) made the score 20-20, Cedar Crest rattled off five straight points, capped off by a kill from junior Ellise Everett (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) to give the Falcons the 25-20 set victory.

In the second set following a service error by Ciara Bradley to make the score 14-9 in favor of Rowan, the Profs closed the frame on an 11-1 run to come out on top, 25-10.
With the third set tied at nine in the third set, Rowan scored four-straight points to grab the 13-9 advantage. The Profs stretched its lead to seven (19-12) and then after back-to-back points from the Falcons, Rowan finished the set on a 6-0 run for the 25-14 set win.

In the fourth set, after back-to-back points from Cedar Crest to make the score 5-4, the Profs registered five consecutive points to build a 9-5 lead. The Falcons got as close as three, 14-11, following a service ace from senior Daja Jackson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Gilbert (Ariz.)). Rowan then went on an 8-3 run to increase its advantage to eight, 22-14. Cedar Crest notched the next two points and then Rowan tallied the final three to capture the set, 25-16, and the match.

Junior Jena Kaul (Metuchen, N.J.) paced the Profs with a match-high 14 kills. First-year Ava Best (Orefield, Pa.) followed with 12 kills. Senior Brooke Adams (Center Valley, Pa.) dished out a match-best 46 assists, while junior Vanessa Hutchinson (King of Prussia, Pa.) collected 14 digs.

Junior Alana Connor (Manassas, Va./Charles J. Colgan) and senior Liberty Jackson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Gilbert (Ariz.)) led the way for the Falcons with seven kills apiece. Sophomore Tianlly Davila (Frederick, Md./Governor Thomas Johnson) handed out a team-high 23 assists, while graduate student Rebekka Sanchez-Castro (Columbia, Md./Atholton) recorded a team-best 12 digs.

Cedar Crest (3-4 overall) will square off against the host Neumann University on Saturday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m., followed by a matchup with Widener University at noon at the Knights Invitational.