The volleyball team opened the season in two tournaments, posting a 7-1 record, including a 4-0 sweep at the Lock Haven Invitational. The team looked dominant, losing only three sets in the seven wins.

The Eagles—who were picked to finish sixth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll—are playing at a very high level.

Senior Brittany Snider was named to the Truman State Invitational all-tournament team. She has been playing extremely well, racking up 122 kills and 78 digs thus far.

The team opened up its season Aug. 31 at the Truman State Days Inn Bulldog Invitational against Winona State. The Eagles lost their first set, but shook off the rust to win their next three sets.

The first set was a back and forth affair that started well for the Eagles before the Warriors of Winona State took the set 25-21.

The second set looked like a repeat of the first, with the Warriors up 24-19. Then the Eagles ripped off a 7-0 run to win the second set 26-24.

The third set again opened up with the Eagles in the hole, but they fought back again, taking control of the match 21-15. The Warriors fought back before senior Crystal Elliott set up senior Brittany Snider for the kill to end the set 25-23.

The fourth set was a dominant performance by the Eagles.

They made a quick run to double digits and did not look back, winning the final set 25-14, recording 41 kills, 148 total attacks and 36 assists.

Snider led the team with 15 kills and junior Marci Zegarac led the team in digs with 23.

The second match of the tournament against Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) was much more one-sided.

The Eagles won the first set 25-18, controlling the set from start to finish.

The second set was more closely contested, as it was tied 13 times. The teams were last tied at 16 before Ashland took over the set, winning 25-17.

The third set was contended heavily. Ashland maintained at least a two-point lead through most of the match, but the Tritons briefly took the lead, 23-22, before the Eagles finished off the set and the match 25-23.

The match came down to the high number of errors committed by UMSL compared to Ashland.

The Tritons committed 23 errors compared to just 13 for the Eagles.

Snider again lead the team in kills, this time with 17.

The third match of the tournament against McKendree was a hard-fought battle. The first two sets came down to the unforced errors McKendree committed and how efficiently Ashland attacked those opportunities.

Ashland won the first set convincingly 25-20.

The second set was closely fought, as Ashland and McKendree went back and forth through the first 15 points before Ashland took a 20-15 lead. The two teams were tied at 25 before junior Baley Bernthisel and Elliott blocked McKendree’s attack to seal the set, 27-25.

The third set started close before the Eagles dominated, winning 25-16. Bernthisel had 6 blocks and Snider had 14 kills.

The last match of the tournament against sixth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth marred what would have been a perfect weekend.

Ashland won the first set 27-25 before Minnesota-Duluth turn the tide of the game. It won the second set 25-12, the third set 25-20 and the fourth set 25-15.

Minnesota-Duluth had three players record at least 10 kills.

Bernthisel led Ashland in kills with 12 and Elliott had 34 assists.

Ashland began the Lock Haven Invitational with two matches against Dominican (New York) and Virginia Wesleyan.

The Eagles beat Dominican 23-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-15. Snider led the team with 21 kills, and completed a double-double with 17 digs.

AU shut out West Virginia Wesleyan 25-16, 25-21, 25-15. Snider continued her excellent play with 16 kills and 12 digs, and Zegarac had a team-best 20 digs and four service aces.

The next match against Queens was hardly a contest.

The Eagles dominated, putting up scores of 25-17, 25-19 and 25-15.

The match was a well-balanced attack. Bernthisel had eight kills and Snider and freshman Shannon Murdock each had seven.

Ashland completed its perfect weekend with a win over Lock Haven, 25-16, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16. Lock Haven came in as a highly-regarded unit, and put up a fight before Ashland finished off the tournament host.

The team will be playing again tomorrow at Findlay before heading to Wayne State Saturday. The Eagles return to play their first matches at home Sept. 21 against Michigan Tech and Sept. 22 versus Northern Michigan.