Daytona Beach, Fla. – Lynn University's volleyball team opened up the 2018 season with a pair of matches at the ICI Center at Embry-Riddle's Tournament on Friday. The Fighting Knights first took down Valdosta St. in the opener, 3-1, before falling to a tough Wayne St. (Neb.) squad in the nightcap, 3-0. Sonja Udovcic led the way on both sides of the ball in each match, including a solid double-double in the opening victory.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lynn 3, VSU 1 (23-25, 25-9, 25-22, 25-11) | Wayne St. 3, Lynn 0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-21)
Records: Lynn (1-1), VSU (1-1), Wayne St. (2-0)
Location: ICI Center | Daytona Beach, Fla.
All-Time Series: Lynn leads VSU 6-3 | First-ever meeting with Wayne St.
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STATS OF THE MATCH:
Match 1

• The Fighting Knights narrowly dropped the first set (25-23) before responding strongly in the second (25-9) and taking the match in four.
• Udovcic picked up right where she left off last season with a dominant performance against the Blazers. The junior outside tallied 21 kills at a .400 attack clip with 10 digs and two block assists.
• Fellow returner and outside hitter Rafaela Fonseca also logged a double-double, posting 14 kills at a .270 hitting mark with 10 digs and two block assists.
• Sophomore-transfer Marine Kinna made a splash in her debut as a full-rotation pin hitter, tallying 13 kills (.258), 12 digs and a block.
• The offense flourished under freshman setter Isadora Nicolai, who registered 57 assists and seven digs in her collegiate debut. She also dumped for four kills on six attempts.
• Anja Vavan made her collegiate debut donning the libero jersey, recording a match-high 18 digs.
• Sophomore middle blocker Lauren Odom continues to hold down the front line, putting away seven kills on 12 swings (.417) while leading the defense on four blocks.

Match 2

• Udovcic was the only player to hit double-digit digs in the nightcap with 11 while knocking down a team-best-tying eight kills. Fonseca matched her counterpart on the outside with eight kills along with six digs. The pair each tallied their first service aces of the season.
• Odom had an efficient performance attacking out of the middle, logging six kills on eight swings with no errors (.750).
• Nicolai followed up with 28 assists, eight digs and two block assists out of the setter position.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Nicolai's 57 assists vs. VSU are the ninth-most-ever from a Fighting Knight in a four-set match in program history.
• The Fighting Knights posted a .331 attack percentage as a team vs. VSU, marking the program's best hitting clip in a match since Oct. 29, 2016 (.353, at FIT).
• Wayne St. is receiving votes and is just outside the Top-25 in the AVCA Preseason National Rankings.
• Udovcic was a Sunshine State Conference All-Newcomer Team selection last year.
• Seven players made their Blue and White debut today (Vavan, Siena Kelley, Kinna, Bridgette O'Connor, Nicolai, Ashley Cushman and Biatriz Souza Berti).

UP NEXT:
Lynn has two more matches at the Embry Riddle Tournament tomorrow, Aug. 25. Lynn first plays Westminster (Utah) at 9 a.m. before closing out with Shaw at 1 p.m.