Team Effort Leads #7 Spartans Over 21st-Ranked Ashland

TAMPA, Fla. - The seventh-ranked University of Tampa volleyball team opened its season with a 3-0 victory over number-21 Ashland University. UT improves to 1-0 on the year as Ashland drops to 0-2 as UT won by scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-15.

UT used 11 of its players in the opener as nine registered at least one kill. Sophomore Melissa Vanderhall led Tampa in kills (9) and digs (8).

Danielle MacDonald added eight kills while Camille Hanks had seven. Annalea Warren notched five kills Kaleigh Cunningham and freshman Brianne Yeates each had four.

Camila Saade started at libero and recorded six digs. Warren also had six as Sam Macks and MacDonald led the defense with a pair of blocks apiece.

The Spartans connected on 43 of its attacks, for a hitting percentage of .403. Ashland hit just .200 for the match.

UT returns to action on Saturday in a pair of games at the Labor Day Classic. The Spartans face Central Oklahoma at 2 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m., meeting with Northern Kentucky.