Huntingdon, PA - As expected, the Clarkson University Volleyball team had its hands full on day one of the Juniata Invitational and played nine sets total against 18th-ranked Mount Union and AVCA poll newcomer Mary Washington and the 16th-ranked Golden Knights were able to come away with a split on the first day of competition.

The Golden Knights dropped a five-set decision (23-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21, 15-8) against Mount Union, the second time in three seasons that Clarkson has come up just a few points short against the Raiders before picking up a four-set win against Mary Washington (24-26, 25-20, 25-23, 25-15). Clarkson will take on Stevens Institute and host Juniata on Saturday.

In the first match against Mount Union, Clarkson committed 54 errors in total, including 29 on attack and 15 more from the service line, as the team attempted to put pressure on the Raiders throughout the contest. Mount Union was able to limit its miscues with just 29 mishaps total, coming close to a .300 hitting percentage and earning more aces than erorrs from the service line. Four players finished in double figures in kills as Clarkson recorded 66 kills on offense, with 16 coming from both Victoria Kirkemo and Aishvina Arasu and 10 more coming from both Lauren Hutchinson and Danielle Farabee. Farbee hit .533 in the match and also had three block assists, while Hutchinson also produced a pair of blocks. Kirkemo had 15 digs, ranking second on the team behind freshman libero Tara Stilwell's 27 digs. Sierra Rhoades also had 10 digs and a pair of aces and Kirstie Shurie delivered 56 assists to go along with eight digs. For the Raiders, Morgan Chapman led the team with 15 kills while Allison Baird (29) and Abby Riffee (21) combined for 50 of Mount Union's 84 digs.

Though Clarkson dropped the first set against the Eagles of Mary Washington, the Golden Knights found their way on offense in the final three sets to salvage a split. Stilwell had a solid all-around match with 18 digs, four assists and four service aces while Shurie produced 38 assists, seven digs and a pair of aces. Arasu led the team with 13 kills while Huthinson and Kirkemo each produced 10 kills. Hutchinson also added in six blocks, and Farabee made five total blocks. Rhoades also buoyed the defense with 12 more digs. Mary Washington's hitters struggled overall as Leslie Walters had 10 kills but also committed 10 errors and Dani Fiore delivered 11 kills but also had seven errors.