#2 Tampa Picks Up Pair Of Victories At Premier Classic

Denver, Colo. - The second-ranked University of Tampa volleyball team improved its season record to 6-0 with a pair of 3-1 victories over West Texas A&M and Augustana (S.D.) at the Premier Classic, which is being hosted by Metropolitan State and Regis. The Spartans have now won the first six games of the season for the first time since 1997 when they began the season 11-0.

In the first match of the day, against West Texas A&M, the Spartans came back to win the final three games after dropping the opening game of the match. Katelen Dixon led the Spartans with a team-high 17 kills while Margeaux Sinibaldi recorded 34 digs, which places fourth on Tampa's all-time list for digs in a four-game match. Danielle MacDonald and Stephanie Rivera added 12 kills apiece while Tarah Marinelli had 11. Alisha Green was credited with nine kills and a team-high six blocks.

Against Augustana in the second match of the day, Dixon led the Spartans again with 18 kills and a team-high 24 digs. Stephanie Rivera added 17 kills and Marinelli had 12. Sinibaldi added 21 digs while Marinelli recorded a double-double with 19. The setting duo of Gabriela Saade and Amy Rumore produce 38 and 20 assists, respectively. Green led the team once again with three blocks.

Tampa will play two matches tomorrow to complete play at the Premier challenge. The first match will be against fourth-ranked Concordia-St. Paul at 2:00 pm in a rematch of the NCAA II Elite Eight last season, a match that was won by Tampa.