ALLENTOWN, Pa. (September 6, 2008) – Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Byrne was named the 2008 Muhlenberg College Tournament Most Valuable Player as she helped to guide the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team to a pair of wins over York College and Muhlenberg. Byrne totaled 25 kills, 13 digs and five blocks as the Ducks improve to 5-2 on the year.
In the 3-1 win (25-12, 22-25, 25-18, 25-15) against the Spartans, sophomore right-side hitter Maggie Majcher led the team in kills (12) as she added six digs and a pair of blocks. Senior middle blockers Summer Hamilton and Jessica Gardner were once again dominant at the net. Hamilton registered eight kills and six blocks, while Gardner notched nine kills, six digs and three blocks.
Senior setter Melissa Rhode dished for 32 assists and landed six kills, 11 digs and a pair of blocks. Senior outside hitter Melanie Volk tallied seven kills, 12 digs and three service aces. Sophomore libero Julia Reilly chipped in with 10 digs. As a team the Ducks totaled 50 kills and 10 blocks.
In the 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-15, 25-14) against Muhlenberg, Byrne led the way with 17 kills, four digs and a block as she produced a 0.542 hitting percentage. Hamilton landed six kills with a 0.385 attacking percentage as she amassed two digs and four blocks. Majcher was solid as she totaled seven kills and a pair of blocks. Rhode connected on 34 assists and added two kills and three blocks. Defensively for the Ducks, Reilly registered 15 digs, while Volk had 14. Volk also finished with seven kills and three blocks. Stevens produced a 0.222 attacking percentage and collected 42 kills and nine blocks as a team.
The Ducks return to action next weekend when they host the Ducks Classic on Friday and Saturday. The tournament will feature three squads that finished within the top-4 in their regions. Stevens will open the tournament against Haverford College, who closed out its 2007 campaign ranked second in the Mid-Atlantic region with a 31-3 record. Match time is slatted for a 4 p.m. start on Friday.
