Brandywine Sweeps Bryn Athyn; Splits Season-Opening Tri-Match

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine opened the 2021 volleyball season with a decisive 3-0 victory over Bryn Athyn College and won the first set against Ursinus before the host Bears rallied to win the final three sets, claiming a 3-1 victory at Ursinus' tri-match Saturday afternoon.

Penn State Brandywine 3, Bryn Athyn 0

All 17 players on the roster got into the box score for the Lions during their season opener with 10 collecting at least one kill. Jordan Thompson (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) topped Brandywine with seven kills, while Amanda Floyd (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) totaled four and Laura de Jesus (Santo Domingo, D.R./New Horizons) added three.

Sydney Stevens (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. DuPont) recorded four aces and handed out five assists, while Madison Swenson (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) produced a team-best eight assists.

Defensively, Breanna McDermott (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) tallied a team-leading seven digs and Anna Ramirez (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) added three, while Thompson delivered a pair of blocks.

Brandywine scored the final four points to win the opening set 25-20 and then rolled to a 25-13 decision during the second frame. Bryn Athyn led the final set 18-17, but the Lions ended the match with seven of the final 10 points, capped off by Thompson's seventh kill of the day.

Ursinus 3, Penn State Brandywine 1

Brandywine ran out to a 12-3 lead and held off a late Ursinus rally to win the first set 25-23 and take a 1-0 lead; however, Ursinus rebounded to claim the final three stanzas and earn a 3-1 triumph during the final match of the afternoon.

Ramirez posted team-high totals in kills (10) and digs (13) and tallied a pair of aces, while Swenson handed out 24 assists and recorded nine digs.

Stevens also collected nine digs, along with four aces, while Suzie Alvarenga (Fullerton, Calif./Notre Dame Academy) added 10 and de Jesus registered three blocks.

Dana Palmer (New London, Pa./Avon Grove) recorded five kills and de Jesus, Floyd and Thompson all accumulated four.

Brandywine is on the road again September 14 when the Lions open conference play at Penn State Schuylkill at 7:00 pm.