CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Mount St. Joseph University women's volleyball team saw its strong start to the 2026 season slowed Tuesday night, falling to Asbury University in four sets inside the Harrington Center.
The Lions (7-2) battled throughout the night but ultimately fell by scores of 33-31, 25-20, 17-25 and 25-14. The Mount finished the match with 53 kills while hitting .212 as a team, adding eight service aces and five total blocks.
The opening set proved to be a marathon, with neither side able to create much separation. The teams traded points throughout the frame before pushing well beyond the traditional 25-point finish. The Lions had their chances late, but Asbury eventually escaped with the 33-31 win to take the early advantage.
Asbury carried that momentum into the second set, hitting .333 in the frame while holding the Lions to a .171 attack percentage. The Eagles went on to take the set 25-20, putting the Mount in a two-set hole.
The Lions responded in a big way in the third. The Mount put together its best offensive set of the night, recording 16 kills with just three errors on 42 attempts for a .310 hitting percentage. MSJ controlled the frame on its way to a convincing 25-17 victory, cutting the Asbury lead to 2-1.
The comeback would end there, however, as the Eagles answered in the fourth. Asbury hit .313 in the final set and limited the Lions to eight kills, pulling away for a 25-14 win to close out the match.
Aubrey Miranda led the Mount offensively with 12 kills while committing just one attack error, finishing with a .440 hitting percentage. Grace Crider followed with 11 kills, while Sydney Doty added 10 kills on a .474 hitting percentage. Doty also delivered a match-high four service aces.
Etellina Jackson and Mary Kolozsy each added nine kills for the Lions. Kolozsy also had three block assists, while Jackson added two. Ava Moore handed out a team-high 24 assists and Ginger Johnson added 21. Defensively, Lyndsey Stephenson led all Lions with 23 digs, with Johnson adding nine.
The Lions will return to action this weekend at the Grove City Tournament in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The Mount opens the weekend Friday, September 18 at 4:00 p.m. against Saint Vincent before taking on host Grove City at 8:00 p.m. MSJ will then face Case Western Reserve and Waynesburg on Saturday.
