ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Marymount University women's volleyball team did not disappoint the MU faithful on Monday afternoon, as the Saints earned a 3-2 victory over the Catholic University of America in their home opener. 

Marymount (3-2) boasted a balanced and consistent attack against the Cardinals (0-4) with a .247 team attack percentage. Two Saints finished with double-digit kills, as Kaitlyn Doyle and Caylee Shelton finished with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. MU's offense flowed through the duo of Sydney Sands and Natalie Bialecki. Sands tallied her second double-double of the season with 39 assists and 12 digs. Bialecki's double-double marked the third of her young career, as she registered 15 assists and 10 digs. On the defensive side of the ball, Natalie Garbalosa set a new career-high with 26 digs. 

After the Saints fended off a late push from Catholic to take the opening set, 25-23, the Cardinals responded with a pair of wins in the second and third frames. Despite the momentum swing towards the visitors, Marymount bounced back in stellar fashion in the fourth set. 

MU floored 15 kills and swung at a .326 clip to seize the momentum back from Catholic. After some early back and forth, the Saints strung together three consecutive points, bookended by kills from Maya Harris and Sands, to take an 11-8 lead. MU increased its lead to 21-16 after back-to-back kills from Harris and Shelton. The Saints cruised from there and claimed the set, 25-18. 

With the raucous crowd in Converse Family Fieldhouse fully behind them, the Saints dominated the fifth and final set. Marymount hit a blistering .545 and tallied seven kills to seal the victory. Catholic snuck out to a 7-6 lead early on, but Marymount secured the next three points with a pair of aces from Shelton to take a 9-7 edge. The Cardinals never threatened from that point on, as the Saints took the final set, 15-9. 

Marymount returns to action on Friday, September 10, when it opens the Swarthmore Invitational against Lebanon Valley College. The match is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. start. 

Post Game Interview