CLARION, Pa. – Clarion volleyball started off the season in style this by taking their first two matches in the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament. The Golden Eagles rallied back from one set down in both matches to claim 3-1 wins over Merrimack and Lake Erie.   Clarion (2-0) will continue their run in the tournament with Hillsdale and Cedarville on Saturday.
 
Senior Mackenzie Biggs and junior Taylor Braunagel tied for the team lead in kills, each recording 24 over the course of two matches; Braunagel led the team with 13 kills against Lake Erie while Biggs added 12 apiece against the Warriors and the Storm.  Catherine Ferragonio totaled 40 digs for a 5.00 digs/set average, and Olivia Olson hit a team-best .469 in two matches.
 
A back and forth first set against Merrimack saw that Golden Eagles battle but come up short 25-21. Marissa Robertson and Lauryn Driscoll each tallied three kills in the first set, and Braunagel added three of her own as well. The second set was all Clarion, with the Golden Eagles going on an 11-3 midway through en route to a 25-10 set victory. 
 
Clarion continued to roll in the third set against the Warriors, pulling away early on and building a substantial lead.  The Golden Eagles led by as many as 10 points in the set and coasted to a 25-14 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.  At one point they trailed 16-12 in the fourth set but rallied to take an 18-17 lead on a block by Driscoll and Biggs. They pulled out the tight set after a service error by Merrimack's Tara Stuhr, with Clarion winning the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
 
The Golden Eagles started off slow against the Storm as well, but rallied to defeat Lake Erie 3-1. Clarion was led offensively by Olivia Olson, who recorded 11 kills and three blocks while hitting an astonishing .714.  Sophomore Leah Vensel tallied 29 assists in the game, while fellow setter senior Kaley Pittsley added 23 of her own. 
 
Every set in the match was a back and forth battle between both teams. When it looked like the Golden Eagles would take the first set, Lake Erie College battled back and took the first set 28-26. However, Clarion stormed back in the second set to tie the match up at 1-1. After trailing 16-15, Clarion went on a 7-1 run to pull away and take the set 25-20. 
 
The Golden Eagles kept up the pace in the third set, taking it by a score of 25-21.  Braunagel delivered the set point, ripping a kill to give her team a 2-1 lead in the overall match. Clarion finished off Lake Erie in the fourth set, winning the set 25-17 and the match 3-1.