DANBURY, CT – The RIT volleyball team (2-0) opened the 2017 season by winning a pair of matches at the Colonial Classic Tournament hosted by Western Connecticut State on Friday evening. The Tigers defeated Simmons University (0-2) in four sets and knocked off Penn State Berks (0-2) in four sets.
 
In the opener, RIT won the first two sets, 26-24 and 25-23, before Simmons took the third set, 25-16. RIT would put the match away with a 25-23 win in the fourth set to pick up the victory.
 
The duo of junior captain Sara Taylor (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) and freshman Taylor Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) led the way offensively for the Tigers in the opener. Taylor hit .273 with 10 kills, while Higgins, making her collegiate debut, tallied 10 kills and seven digs. Junior setter Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) dished out 30 assists to go along with seven digs and two blocks. Kirstie Wehler (Saint Marys, PA/Elk County Catholic) added five kills, while Rebecca Bennett (Springfield, PA/Springfield) recorded six digs.
 
First-year student-athletes Kelly Fellner (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster), Kathryn Vogl (West Seneca, NY/St. Mary's), Paige Daly (Allison Park, PA/Hampton) and Audra Hale (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) all made their collegiate debuts in the opener. Fellner had four kills and three blocks, while Daly tied for the team lead with two service aces.
 
Morgan Weeg led Simmons with 17 kills.
 
"I was really excited about our resiliency this match," said RIT head coach Jim Lodes. "We had contributions throughout the lineup in a good first match win."
 
Against Penn State Berks, RIT raced out to a quick two-set lead, winning 25-17 and 25-23. Penn State Berks won set three, 25-15, before RIT rolled to a 25-12 win in set four.
 
Taylor led the Tigers by hitting .429 with 14 kills. Higgins had 19 digs and 11 kills, while Parkinson recorded 39 assists and six blocks. Fellner was excellent in the middle, slamming seven kills, while matching Parkinson with six blocks. Wehler and Shelby Doheny (Moreau, NY/South Glens Falls) combined for nine kills.
 
Allison Freck (Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) and Hannah Sarakin (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) made their collegiate debuts against Penn State Berks. Sarakin, along with Bennett, Wehler and Daly had two service aces apiece.
 
"I thought we played another good match overall," said Lodes. "We still have a long way to go to be the team I think we can be, but this was a good first day. We handled adversity well. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
 
The Tigers are right back in action on Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Colonial Classic Tournament. RIT takes on Wentworth Institute of Technology at noon and host Western Connecticut State at 2 p.m.