SWARTHMORE, PA. - The Swarthmore College volleyball team earned a split on the final day of the Swarthmore Invitational, beating Suffolk University, 3-0, but falling to Scranton University in a three-set finale. 

Swarthmore cruised past Suffolk to open the day with a swift victory. Alexia Enache and Keira Miles paced the offense with 11 kills, while Isabel Adam reached double-digits with 10 tallies. 

The Garnet were plagued by slow starts in each set against Scranton. Swarthmore fought back and made each set extremely competitive, but were unable to dig themselves out of an early deficit. Adam notched a team-high 10 kills, recording double-digit tallies in 11 of the last 12 games. Zindzhi Montgomery also played exceptional defense at the net, totaling six blocks. 

SWARTHMORE 3, SUFFOLK 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore broke out to a fast start with a 10-2 swing early in the first stanza. The Garnet prompted an early Rams timeout after Nicole Kim made an excellent diving dig, which set up an Adam kill to put Swarthmore ahead by six points, 10-4. The Garnet kept their foot on the gas, expanding its lead to 19-9. They went on to win the set easily, 25-12, after consecutive kills from Adam and Miles. 

- Enache tallied back-to-back kills to propel the Garnet in front, 11-9. Swarthmore built a 15-11 lead until the Rams charged back with four-unanswered points. The Garnet regrouped and did not allow Suffolk to pull ahead, rallying for a 22-18 lead after consecutive Madeline Mountcastle aces. Swarthmore clinched the set on three-straight points, which was capped off by a Miles block, 25-20. 

- Despite a slow start to the third set, the Garnet rallied for four-straight points to pull ahead by three, 12-9. Montgomery started the stretch with a kill, followed by a block, while Kim forced a Rams' timeout with an ace. Swarthmore went on to clinch victory with a 8-5 run to end the match. Enache put an end to the Rams hopes with a game-clinching service ace, 25-19. 

GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Enache, Miles 11
Aces: Mountcastle, Kim 2
Blocks: Miles 2
Assists: Mountcastle 20
Digs: Eyer 16
 

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SWARTHMORE 0, SCRANTON 3
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Scranton rallied for four-straight points to build a 9-7 edge. The Royals later expanded on their lead with a 6-1 run to create a six-point cushion, 19-13. Despite putting themselves in an early hole, the Garnet battled back with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 21-21. However, the Royals prevailed with a narrow 25-23 decision.

- The Royals broke out to another fast start with an 11-4 advantage, forcing the Garnet into an early timeout. Swarthmore struggled to string together consecutive points as Scranton remained in the driver's seat with an 18-8 lead. However, the Garnet continued to battle as they rallied for six-straight points on an 8-1 run to prompt a Scranton timeout, 22-16. Swarthmore kept clawing away in a highly-competitive finish to the second set, but ran out of runway as it fell, 25-21. 

- Swarthmore built an early 6-5 lead after an Adam kill, but Scranton countered with a 9-4 run to build a four-point advantage, 14-10. Much like the opening two sets, the Garnet refused to back down. Swarthmore willed its way within one point after a Maya Sheridan ace capped off a 5-1 swing. Following a Scranton timeout, Aiste Bardauskaite tied the game with a kill until the Royals landed a dagger with six-straight points to seal a 25-19 victory.

GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Adam 10
Aces: Mountcastle 3
Blocks: Montgomery 6
Assists: Mountcastle 17
Digs: Mountcastle 12

UP NEXT
The Garnet (9-7) open Centennial Conference play at Ursinus on Tuesday.