QUINCY, Ill. - In their first home matches of the season, the Quincy University women's volleyball team played the role of host for the Quincy Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The Hawks welcomed Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, new GLVC foe, Upper Iowa University, and Newman University to Pepsi Arena for the first volleyball on the home hardwood of the 2023 regular season. QU swept both of their matches on day one, dispatching Edinboro (25-22, 25-22, 25-23) in the tournament's first contest, and Newman (25-15, 25-14, 25-21) in the nightcap. 

Match One vs Edinboro

Set One:

Luna Van Baars scored the first home point of the season for the Hawks. Tied at 1-1 after a service error, Van Baars registered an ace to put QU up early. The lead continued to grow from there as the Fighting Scots hurt themselves via attacking errors, finding Quincy ahead 15-7. 

EU made their way back into the set, taking six of the next eight points to draw within three at 17-14. Later in the set, a run of four points from Edinboro knotted the score at 22-22. Two big kills from Van Baars along with an error from EU sealed a 25-22 victory. 

Set Two: 

The Hawks jumped out to an early lead in the second set. Three straight kills from Emma Wijnbergen followed up with kills from Erin Matzke and Van Baars made it 5-1. The Scots represented their brand, fighting their way back from the deficit, even taking a 14-11 lead. 

Quincy bounced back, retaking the lead on kills from Wijnbergen and Susanna Beretti along with an ace from Van Baars to make it 19-17. EU hung around until a kill from Alice Pavan ended the second set in at 25-22 win. 

Set Three:

QU got it going early, extending their advantage to five at 9-4. The lead pressed further to seven at 14-7 via a Matzke kill. Edinboro, once again, played the role of catchup well, cutting the lead to three at 15-12 and progressing to tie the set in the late going at 23-23 on a four point run. 

The Scots were unsuccessful in staving off the sweep, surrendering an attacking error along with another kill from Van Baars to end the set 25-23 and conclude the match 3-0 for the Hawks first home victory of the campaign. 
 

Match Two vs Newman University

Set One:

Quincy put the first set out of reach in a hurry, stretching a nine point advantage at 14-5. Soon after, the Hawks pushed it to double figures at 17-6 on a kill from Matzke and never looked back, riding out the big lead to at 25-15 first set win. QU outhit their opponents by over .400 in the dominant set one display. 

Set Two: 

The Hawks found themselves behind early at 7-5 before going on an absolute tear, claiming twelve of the next thirteen points to take a commanding 17-8 lead. The stretch saw a single kill from Pavan, three for Van Baars and three for Wijnbergen along with an incredible four straight service aces. 

In similar fashion to the first set, Quincy rode out a large advantage, defeating the Jets in the second set 25-14, finished with a kill from the setter, Brianna Merkel. 

Set Three: 

Looking to go six-for-six in home sets won, QU took its first lead at 7-6 via a Van Baars kill. It remained close moving into the midpoint of the set as the Hawks held on to a three point advantage at 15-12. 

NU used a three point run to knot the score at 2-20 heading down the stretch. Following a Quincy timeout, five of the next six points went in favor of QU. Finished off with a kill from Wijnbergen, the Hawks took a 25-21 set win and 3-0 victory in the match. 

QU will be back in action again tomorrow evening (Sep. 9), playing the final match of the Quincy Invitational Tournament at 6:00 p.m. against the Peacocks of Upper Iowa University in a preview of their September 30th date in Pepsi Arena for GLVC conference play.