FAIRFAX, Virginia - In just her first games as the Kenneth L. Gross Head Coach of Volleyball, Katie Schumacher-Cawley finished the day with her first win as the new team's new coach. The University of Pennsylvania women's volleyball team (1-1) won their second match of the day defeating Central Michigan (3-1) by the set score of 3-1 (25-16, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17).
The University of Pennsylvania women's volleyball team started their 2017 campaign at the George Mason Invitational playing first time opponents Campbell (4-0) and Central Michigan. The Quakers were up and down in the first match against the Camels losing a close match in the fifth set 10-15. However, the red and blue put the early loss behind them and bounced back winning the first two sets against Central Michigan before closing the match out in the fourth.
 
Inside the Numbers
Freshman Parker Jones and senior Sydney Morton lead the Quaker offense on the day. In her first career match, Jones hit a team high 13 kills before nearly doubling that against Central Michigan hitting an impressive 21. Morton, the team's setter, assisted on 45 and 44 kills on the day. Sophomore, Caroline Furrer had 20 digs in the loss to Campbell and 18 against Central Michigan, leading the team in that area in both games.
 
How it Happened
Despite a solid effort against the undefeated Campbell, the Quakers didn't play well enough consistently and came up short in the end. Penn didn't have their first lead until 9-8 in the fourth set, but the red and blue never looked back winning the set 25-18 to force a fifth. However, the Camels took advantage of a 3-0 run to start the final set and while the Quakers pulled it back within two at 9-11, they weren't able to pull ahead and fell 10-15.
Penn took some of that resiliency from the first match and applied it right away in the second. Tied 9-9 in the opening set, the red and blue won 9 of the next 11 points to take a commanding 18-11 lead. Behind eight kills from Jones, the Quakers took the set 25-16.
Taking the momentum from the opening set, the Quakers came out to an early 4-0 lead in the second. Once again, Jones sparked her team hitting seven kills to give her 15 total in the first two sets combined. Behind Jones, Penn never relinquished the early lead to win the second set 25-21.
Despite losing the third, the Quakers, once again, showed their mental toughness in the fourth. After nine ties and dead-locked at 10-10, Penn rolled off ten straight points to take a 20-10 lead. Sophomore Madison Goldstein hit a team high four kills in the fourth set, but it was Kendall Covington who hit the final kill to give the Quakers and coach Schumacher-Cawley their first win of 2017.
Up Next
 The Quakers will cap off the George Mason Invitational against George Mason. The two teams played last season with the Quakers winning 3-1.