Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – The Lynn University volleyball team wrapped up its season-opening weekend at the Nova Southeastern Shark Invitational on Saturday, handling University of Arkansas Monticello in the afternoon contest, 3-1, before fighting back from a 2-1 deficit to drop Adelphi University in a five-set finale.

INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
Finals: Lynn 3, UAM 1 (25-14, 25-18, 15-25, 25-18) | Lynn 3, Adelphi 2 (25-19, 18-25, 14-25, 25-17, 15-13)
Records: Lynn (3-1), UAM (0-4), Adelphi (1-3)
Location: NSU Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Match 1

• The Fighting Knights were in control over the course of the first two sets as they led the majority of the way for comfortable victories. Cristina Llorens sparked both sides of the ball in the opening frame, recording five kills and four digs. Cleuza Porto took over with the heavy hand in the second, bouncing eight kills on a .727 clip. Through two, Katie Knight had exposed the UAM defense for four service aces. 
• Lynn took its foot off the gas in the third set and the Cotton Blossoms capitalized, running with a 12-11 lead through to its sole set-victory. The Fighting Knights' offense struggled in the third, due mostly to UAM posting seven blocks in the set.
• Nicol Colonna stepped up in the fourth to lead the Blue & White to their most efficient hitting stanza and the four-set match triumph. Colonna's 8-for-10 effort on the attack helped bolster a .394 clip for Lynn as Marissa Tandron locked down the defense with five digs.

Match 2

• Colonna carried over the momentum to the first set of the nightcap with six kills on nine swings while Tandron found her groove early with 16 assists. The Fighting Knights broke free from a 14-14 tie to secure the first advantage in the match.
• The edge didn't last long however as Adelphi's offense started to roll, jumping in front of Lynn with comfortable victories in the next two frames. Porto hit .500 in the third with four kills, but 10 errors on the offense halted any progress.
• A Llorens serving barrage on each bookend of the fourth set was the exact momentum-stealing recipe the Fighting Knights needed to stay alive. The offense fired off its best clip of the match (.483) behind a 7-of-8 Porto effort. Tandron and Knight combined for eight digs while Llorens finished the frame with four aces.
• The deciding set went down to the wire, and it was freshman Elna Argen's clutch play that put Lynn over the top. Down 12-10, Argen and Porto combined for a stuff, sending Tandron to the service line for the set-tying ace. Coming out of the timeout, Argen posted up a massive solo block to take the lead as Lynn went on to win, 15-13.

STATS OF THE DAY:

• Porto was the squad's leading attacker yet again in both matches, finishing with 36 kills on the day. Llorens and Colonna hit double figures both times out while Lydia West totaled 21.
• Llorens and Knight continue to be a dangerous duo from the service line, combining for 12 aces.
• Argen led the way with six blocks, including two solo.
• Knight's 19 digs in the Adelphi contest notched a match-high for Lynn while Tandron accumulated 27 digs and 101 helpers.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Lynn has gone to five sets in three of its four matches so far this season, winning two.
• There was at least four Fighting Knights with double-digit digs in three of the four matches this weekend.
• Porto has hit the 20-kill mark three times in 2016, averaging 4.11 kills per set.

UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights head down to Barry University next weekend for another round-robin tournament, beginning Friday night, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m. against Lees-McRae.