University of Dayton Athletics

DAYTON – The University of Dayton volleyball team beat Santa Clara (20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21) and Eastern Illinois (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) to wrap up the Flyer Invitational.

Sidney Sprada and Charlotte Vinson were named to the Flyer/Raider Invitational All-Tournament Team after impressive showings in their Dayton debuts. Sprada led the way on offense with 41 kills, while Vinson was second on the team with 37.

Flyer/Raider Invitational All-Tournament Team
Mya Ayro (WSU)
Payton Castillo (EIU)
Morgan Hayes (SCU)
Sidney Sprada (UD)
Carson Tyler (MARQ)
Charlotte Vinson (UD)
Lauren Yacobucci (WSU)

MATCH ONE
Dayton 3, Santa Clara 1
Despite starting set one down five, Dayton took a 16-15 lead on a four-point run bookended by kills from Kamryn Hunt. The Broncos pulled back out ahead to win the first set.

The Flyers came out ahead early in set two, with Sprada leading the way with five kills and an ace. Dayton's largest lead was 19-11, a lead they held the entire set.

Set three had nine tie scores, with the Flyers trailing by four at 17-13. Dayton narrowed the Santa Clara lead to 18-15 before taking a 19-18 lead on a four-point run featuring a pair of kills by Kamryn Hunt. After the Broncos tied the set at 23 apiece, UD took advantage of an error by Santa Clara, taking a two-set lead on an ace from Natalie Harrington.

Santa Clara led early in the final set, but Dayton capitalized on the Broncos' eight errors to win the match and start the year with a 2-0 record.

MATCH TWO
Dayton 3, Eastern Illinois 0
The Flyers trailed the Panthers for most of the first set, capturing a late lead on a five-point run. Gabriela Machin Borges and Sprada tallied two kills in the run. A block by Addi Gallentine and Sprada gave Dayton a 20-18 lead, which they maintained for the early set lead.

A pair of aces from Ava Liening helped give Dayton a 5-1 lead in the second set. The Flyers continued to fire on all cylinders in the second set, pushing ahead 15-10 courtesy of kills by Sprada and Vinson, an ace by Sprada and a block by Liening and Vinson. Up 24-18, Sprada put the second set away.

Dayton came out strong in the third set, going on a six-point tear, in large part from three consecutive service aces from Rylee Sloss for a 9-3 score. The Flyers led by 10 points three different times in the third set, sparked by a three-point run featuring a kill and two aces from Liening. A pair of late runs for the Panthers narrowed Dayton's lead to 24-22, but Hunt attacked on an over ball to earn the Flyers' sweep.

BY THE NUMBERS
18 – Kills for Hunt against Santa Clara

14 – Kills for Vinson in the win over Eastern Illinois

18 – Service aces for Dayton, with 12 against the Panthers

28 – Total block assists on the day for the Flyers

UP NEXT
Dayton has a short turnaround, facing No. 7 Louisville at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31.