CLARION, Pa. – A trio of players finished 20+ kills on opening day as the New Haven volleyball team split its season opening matches with a five-set win over Ursuline and a 3-0 setback against the host Clarion Eagles on day one of the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament. Leading all Charger hitters on the day was freshman Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) who drilled 28 kills, including an impressive 26 in the season-opening win over Ursuline.

The 26 kills from Brown are the most by a player at New Haven since September 24, 2011 when Keidy Candelaria matched that number against Franklin Pierce. Overall, Brown finished that match hitting .317 with those 26 kills coming on 63 attempts, while she combined those with 19 digs for a double double.

Junior outside hitter Emily Barry (Freeport, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) followed Brown in leading the team as she combined for 25 kills on the day with a double double in each match. She opened up the tournament with 15 kills and 14 digs against Ursuline before dropping in 10 kills and matching those 14 digs against the host Eagles. She also added four blocks in the opening match.

Rounding out the trio of leaders was senior transfer Jessica Akiona (Kapolei, Hawaii/La Pietra- Hawaii School for Girls) who closed out the day with 20 kills, finishing with nine in the opening match against Ursuline and securing her first double digit performance of the season against Clarion with a team-high 11. The right side hitter from Hawaii finished the Clarion match hitting .381 with her 11 kills coming on 21 attempts with a trio of errors.

As a team, New Haven finished the day hitting .180 with 105 combined kills. Defensively, the held Ursuline to a .157 hitting average as a team. The Chargers also combined for 10 total service aces on the day with a pair of rookies leading that category; Brown with four and Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) with three.

UP NEXT
New Haven will close out the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament with a pair of Saturday matches, kicking off the day bright and early with a 9:00 a.m. first serve against Saginaw Valley State. Before hitting the highway to return home, the Chargers will close out the two-day event taking on Shippensburg with that match slated to start at 1:00 p.m.