PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania volleyball team (3-7) dropped its opening pair of games in the Mountaineer Classic on Friday. The Quakers fell to Morehead State, 3-0, and Wake Forest, 3-1. Penn will close out nonconference play on Saturday when it plays host West Virginia at 11 a.m.

Match One Notes - Box Score

* Parker Jones led the team in kills with nine. 

* Raven Sulaimon recorded at least seven kills for the eighth time this season. The sophomore had just 12 such games all of last year. 

* Daniela Fornaciari once again led the team in blocks. The freshman finished with three. 

* The all-time series with Morehead State is now tied 1-1. 

Match Two Notes - Box Score

* Parker Jones had double-digit kills for the fourth time in five matches. 

* Kylie Kulinski bounced back from her 12 assists against Morehead State. She came back to distribute 33 which is the fourth time this season that the freshman recorded 30 or more. 

* Penn led Wake Forest blocks. The Quakers had four to Deacons' three. 

* The all-time series against Wake Forest also got tied on Friday. The series is now even at 2-2. 

How it Happened

The Quakers entered a very competitive field at the Mountaineer Classic looking to get sharp before the beginning of the Ivy slate next week. Penn's first opponent was 8-2 Morehead State. The opening set was very back-and-fourth with neither team taking more than a three point lead. Tied at 23 late in the set, the Red and Blue lost the final two points to go down 25-23. 

Morehead State took that momentum into the second set to take an 11-5 lead. The Quakers pulled back within one, but were unable to full recover from the early deficit to fall 25-20. The Eagles used an 8-3 run late in set three as Penn fell 25-17 in the set and 3-0 overall. 

The Red and Blue also lost the opening game to Wake Forest 25-14, but were able to wipe the slate clean to take the second and tie up the match at 1-1. The Quakers came out hot in set to and jumped out to an 8-1 lead. A 7-2 run led by Daniela Fornaciari, Parker Jones, Raven Sulaimon, and Taylor Cooper put Penn up 18-12. A Wake Forest error gave the Quakers the second set 25-16. 

The Deacons used a 10-1 run in set three to take the third 25-13 as Penn went down 2-1. The Quakers started slow in the fourth as Wake Forest used an 8-1 run to go up 11-3. Penn came back within six, but were unable to come back to extend the match to a deciding set, falling 25-15 to lose 3-1. 

What's next

The Quakers wrap up the Mountaineer Classic on Saturday against host West Virginia. Penn begins conference play at home at The Palestra next Friday against rival school Princeton.