BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg volleyball team pieced together a thunderous effort in its home opener with a sweep, 25-21, 25-23, 25-14, over Millersville Friday evening.

The Huskies offensive did much of the talking for the night, led by Elise Adelman (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) and Marlee Johnson (Newville, Pa./Big Spring). On a night celebrating her breaking the Bloomsburg volleyball career assist mark, Adelman did what she does best and finished the night with 36 (12.00 per set), adding seven digs, four kills, two total blocks and an ace to her tallies. Johnson led all players with 14 kills on the night and totaled four digs, an ace and a block.

The attack was locked in from the onset, with Sophie Wales (Port Matilda, Pa./State College) and Katie Kuehl (Aston, Pa./Archmere Academy (Del.)) finishing with efficient performances. Wales had her most efficient outing of the season with six kills while hitting .357. She added four digs, two blocks and an ace in the match. Kuehl hit over .300 for the second consecutive game, hitting .316 with nine kills and two total blocks. 

Bloomsburg improves to 4-10 overall on the season, with a 2-0 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Marauders fall to 8-6 on the year and 1-1 in conference play.

How It Happened:
Emily Gustie (Crofton, Md./Crofton) started the match from the service line to give the Huskies a 2-0 start while contributing one of nine aces for Bloomsburg as a team. The start began a back-and-forth first two sets between the two teams. 

Tied at 10-10, the Huskies rattled off a 4-0 run to provide a cushion and capture momentum in the opening set. Adelman dumped the ball over a net for one of her four kills on the night and set up Johnson for a pair of kills sandwiched around an ace from Wales. At 18-15, Bloomsburg rattled off a 5-0 run for a seven-point advantage at 22-15. Kuehl added two kills in the rally, while Gustie and Allison Saalfrank (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) each added a point in the stretch. 

With Millersville attempting to claw back, the tandem of Adelman and Wales closed out the first set. Johnson, Kuehl and Wales had four kills each as Adelman concluded the opening set with 14 assists.

Set two proved closer by the end, finishing with just the two-point difference. The Marauders claimed an 8-4 lead early in the set behind a 4-0 run that saw Bloomsburg playing catch-up. Bloomsburg forced a tie three times in the set, with the final at 12-12, before latching onto the lead for good.

The Huskies grabbed control with a 4-0 run that saw the home side take a 15-12 advantage. Johnson remained a reliable force on the outside, while Lydia Worthing (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood Antis) provided a complimentary display from the middle. Worthing finished her night with four kills and a match-high three blocks. 

Millersville tied the match at 19-19 in its comeback effort before Bloomsburg's defense made a stand in the pivotal points. In a 4-2 stretch, Adelman and Wales came together twice for emphatic blocks to stall the Marauders' attempts. Worthing closed the set on her own, hammering a kill to give the Huskies a 2-0 advantage in the match.

The results of the second set proved to weigh on the visitors from Millersville, as Bloomsburg shut the door with a 25-14 final set. The Huskies hit .433 in the third set with 16 kills to three errors. The team also recorded a sideout percentage of 85 percent (12-of-14) in the final set. 

Bloomsburg's first big swing in the third was a 5-0 run to grab an 11-5 edge. Gustie had two kills in the run, while Saalfrank had two aces. Both players defensively, with senior Maura Uschock (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield), kept the Huskies in sync. The trio combined for 40 receptions without an error and 31 digs. Gustie led all players with 13 digs, her sixth game of the season in double figures; Uschock had a season-high 10 and Saalfrank was third with eight. 

The nail in the coffin for the match was a 4-0 run late in the set to make it 20-10. Johnson started things with a kill, setting up an ace from Adelman. The setter returned to being a provider, assisting Kuehl. Kuehl capped off the stretch with Lydia Worthing (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood Antis) for a block and a 10-point cushion. The teams traded sideouts before an attack error from the Marauders sealed a win for the Huskies.

Numbers of Note:
.980 - The Huskies were in rhythm due to their clean performance in serve receive. The team combined for one reception error to finish the night with a .980 reception percentage. 

36 - Adelman was the catalyst to a strong close on the Huskies' home opener. The sophomore's 36 assists are the second most in a three-set contest for Bloomsburg volleyball.

5 - In her return to the court, Saalfrank did not disappoint. The libero recorded five service aces on the night without an error, her second career game with at least five aces.

45 - Bloomsburg boasted a strong attack, particularly in the closing moments. The Huskies totaled 45 kills as a team, the secon most in a three-set match in program history.

On The Horizon:
The Huskies are back in action at Nelson Field House on Saturday, October 5, at 12:00 p.m. for a PSAC matchup with West Chester.