Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Winter Park, Fla. – (8/31/2012) – Opening the season with some stiff competition, the Chestnut Hill College women's volleyball team began play at the Rollins College Invitational today with matches against Minnesota State University-Moorhead (MSU-Moorhead) and #19 Eckerd College. The Griffins dropped their morning match to the Dragons 3-0 (25-7, 25-13, 25-9) before falling to ranked Tritons by the same final, 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-13).
 
Freshmen hitters, middle, Rachel Biro (Nazareth, Pa.) and, outside, Abby Gruver (Coplay, Pa.) took turns capitalizing on the play of sophomore setter Alyssa Tamsing (Ventura, Calif.), who led Chestnut Hill College (0-2) on their opening day of competition. In the first contest, against MSU-Moorhead (1-0), The Dragons grabbed a quick 2-0 lead with a .346 (12K-3E-26TA) hitting percentage in the opening set and a .452 (14K-0E-31TA) hitting percentage in the second set. Tamsing tried to rally the Griffin effort with 14 assists, eight digs, and a block, but the Dragons continued their strong play to a three-set victory. Gruver benefitted most off the feed of Tamsing, scoring six kills while hustling to eight digs in her first collegiate match. Freshman libero Meghan Chiovitti (Brighton, Colo.) captained the Griffins defensive effort with 12 digs.
 
The Griffins fared better against Eckerd College (1-1), who they challenged to set finals of 25-12, 25-18, and 25-13. Tamsing provided 18 assists, two digs, and two blocks in the losing effort. Biro was the Griffins most successful performer with six kills on a .308 (6K-2E-13TA) hitting percentage, while Gruver helped on both sides of the net with three kills and six digs. Junior middle hitter Mary Markowski (Parkton, Md.) also played a well-rounded match in the front line with four kills (.333, 4K-1E-9TA) and three blocks.
 
The women's volleyball team continues play at the Rollins College Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, September 1, with a 9:00 a.m. match against Kentucky State University and a 4:20 p.m. match against Pace University.