CANTON, N.Y. – The College at Brockport volleyball team made a strong statement on day one of the Clarkson Tournament, picking up a split on the night with a win over D'Youville College (3-0) and a close lose to Wheaton College (3-2).
 
Game One vs. D'Youville College: W, 3-0
 
The Golden Eagles opened up the weekend against the Spartans, dominating the offense in two of the three sets. The first two matchups the Green and Gold commanded the scoring, notching a 25-12 win in set one and 25-15 win in set two. The Spartans put up a good fight in set three however, the Golden Eagles were able to pull through for a 26-24 win to seal the deal.
 
The first frame saw a number of heavy scoring runs for the Golden Eagles, as they tallied two sets of five-point runs to help them maintain a consistent lead throughout. Once the Green and Gold found their momentum, they consistently led by four points or more for majority of the set. The trend continued into the second frame with Jordan Thompson leading the longest scoring run of the day with three service aces and a kill.
 
Elena Grossman and Megan Muehlbauer led the team offensively through three, each posting seven kills apiece followed closely by Krysti McDonald with six. Grossman's seven kills allowed her to finish with a .600 hitting percentage after three sets. Many of the Golden Eagles offensive opportunities couldn't have been successful however without the standout performance by setter Kerri McHale who notched 20 assists and four digs.
 
The Golden Eagles closed things out leading the Spartans in every category including points, kills, aces, blocks, assists and digs. The two biggest differentials were in points (50 to 25) and aces (17 to 4).
 
Game Two vs. Wheaton College: L, 3-2
 
The Golden Eagles put up a tough fight in the second match as they took Wheaton College to all five sets. The team got off to a strong start grabbing the first five points of the game, led by Thompson, Mastro, and McDonald who each recorded a kill. Both teams then traded points for majority of the set, with the Golden Eagles ultimately coming out victorious, 25-20. The Lyons answered back in the second set, putting a lot more pressure on the Golden Eagles offense to open up a lead. Despite a consistent collective performance from all areas of the floor, the Green and Gold were unable to secure the lead as they were narrowly edged 26-24 in the second set.
 
After two demanding sets, the Golden Eagles struggled to maintain their energy through the third, picking up their second loss 25-15 to send the match into the fourth set. Despite finding themselves at a deficit, the Green and Gold weren't willing to give up without a fight, rallying back in the final moments of the fourth to tie the match at 2-2. The Lyons ended up prevailing in the late-night hours, taking set five 15-12 to secure the win.
 
Match two showed face to a number of different game leaders for the Golden Eagles as they put in a collective team effort. Thompson and Andrea Coyle proved to be a dynamic offensive duo for the Green and Gold, collectively accounting for 23 kills, two blocks and two assists. Mastro fully embraced her ability to execute on both sides of the ball in match two, posting 11 kills, eight blocks and 13 digs to close out the night. Setters Abbey Manning and McHale were essential in helping provide key scoring opportunities; McHale providing 29 assists and Manning 14.
 
The Golden Eagles will pick things back up tomorrow for the final day of the tournament, where they are scheduled to take on St. Lawrence University at 1 p.m. followed by Franklin and Marshall College at 3 p.m.