Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Freshmen Lorin Pedersoli and Hayle Hintz threw down a combined 95 kills as the Fighting Scots opened their season with a 3-0 performance at the Monmouth Invitational.

Monmouth rolled to an easy three-set win over Robert Morris (Springfield) in the opener before going the full five sets in wins over Lincoln Christian and Iowa Wesleyan.

The Scots held Robert Morris to just 33 total points in the match. Pedersoli gave an indication of what was in store with 11 kills and Mollie Murdock – who was named to the all-tournament team – drilled eight service aces.

Pedersoli threw down 18 winners in the five-set win over Lincoln Christian and Hintz hinted at her power, driving down a dozen kills. After LCU posted a convincing 25-11 first set win, the Scots rallied back for a 26-24 victory in Set 2. After the Scots pulled out a third set win, Lincoln Christian rallied for the win in Set 4, forcing the fifth set tie breaker…which Monmouth won, but barely in a 16-14 final.

Monmouth had to rally in the final match of the day, a 3-2 win over Iowa Wesleyan. The Tigers thought they might head home early after taking a 2-0 lead in sets at the start, but the Scots rallied and forced the decisive fifth set with a 26-24 win in Set 4. It was all Monmouth, all the time, in Set 5, a 15-4 win to post the Scots to a 3-0 season start. Hintz exploded for 21 kills, Pedersoli drilled 16 winners and junior Abby Butitta served eight aces for the Scots in the tournament-ending match.