The Shippensburg University volleyball team opened the 2018 regular season on Friday with a pair of matches at Ashland University, first defeating Nova Southeastern (25-19, 25-19, 25-18) in straight sets before later dropping a four-set match to the host Eagles (15-25, 21-25, 25-14, 16-25) in competition from Kates Gymnasium.
 
Shippensburg (1-1) hit an efficient .172 on the day and performed well at the service line – totaling 16 aces compared to just five errors. Sophomore Emily Hangen (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) led the team with seven service aces – including a single-match career best five aces in the opener against Nova Southeastern.
 
Senior Morgan DeFloria led the team overall on the day with 26 kills, swinging .214, and had 17 digs. DeFloria hit .323 (11-1-31) with six digs against Nova Southeastern and swung .151 (15-7-53) with 11 digs against Ashland for a double-double.
 
Hangen had an excellent opening day. In addition to her seven aces, she delivered 66 assists, 19 digs and hit .462 (7-1-13) from her setter position.
 
Junior Gabriella Johnson had a double-double in the opener, hitting .292 (11-4-24) and recording 11 digs against the Sharks. Johnson and redshirt-senior Courtney Malott each served three aces on the day.
 
In the middle, junior Kendall Johnson had 15 kills, including nine against Nova Southeastern, while junior Samantha Webber totaled 14 kills – seven in each match. Sophomore Alana Pergine especially exceled against Ashland, hitting .500 (7-0-14) in that match and contributing three block assists.
 
Defensively, junior Megan Forstburg totaled 46 digs over the matches. Forstburg also passed into eight assists and served two aces.
 
NEXT MATCH: Saturday, 11:30 a.m. vs. Bellarmine (at Ashland) | 4:30 p.m. vs. Malone (at Ashland).