MIAMI SHORES, Florida- The American International College volleyball team opened the season in Florida, participating in the Barry University Invitational in Miami Shores. Despite close games, the Yellow Jackets dropped both matches, 3-0 against Minnesota State Mankato and No. 16 Barry.

FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: Minnesota State - Mankato 3, AIC 0 (23-25, 19-25, 18-25)
RECORDS: Minnesota State Mankato moves to 1-0, AIC falls to 0-1
FINAL SCORE: No. 16 Barry 3, AIC 0 (15-25, 20-25, 15-25)
RECORDS: No. 16 Barry moves to 2-0, AIC moves to 0-2
LOCATION: Miami Shores, Florida

STAT LEADERS:
Game 1
AIC:
Andrea Serra: 13 kills, six digs
Sarah Lowery: 10 kills, eight digs
Claudia Gonzalez: seven kills
Naomi Eckert: 30 assists, five digs
Amanda Rodriguez: 14 digs

Minn. Mankato:
Morgan Olson: 18 kills, eight digs, five blocks
Ailvia Garbe: Eight kills, three digs
Dana Schindler: 35 assists
Mara Quam: 13 digs

Game 2
AIC:
Andrea Serra: 12 kills, 13 digs
Sarah Lowery: four kills, seven digs
Claudia Gonzalez: four kills
Naomi Eckert: 21 assists, 10 digs
Amanda Rodriguez: 11 digs


No. 16 Barry:
Megi Buvinic: 14 kills, seven digs
Stassy Samokhvalova: seven kills, five blocks
Bianca Pasca: 28 assists, four aces, four digs, three blocks
Audren Rose: 19 digs

HOW IT HAPPENED:
GAME ONE:

• Trailing 4-1 in the opening set, the Yellow Jackets went on a 6-1 run to take the 7-5 lead. Sophomore outside hitter Andrea Serra had two kills while redshirt-sophomore middle blocker Claudia Gonzalez earned her first point of the season during the run. Tied at 10, the Mavericks went on a 4-0 run to force an AIC timeout. Out of the break, freshman middle blocker Katie Bannon earned her first collegiate point as she started a 3-0 run. During the run, Bannon and Gonzalez blocked a Maverick attack. The two teams continued to battle back and forth. Tied at 22, the Mavericks went on a 4-1 run to take the first set 25-23.
• The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second before the Mavericks took the 4-3 lead. Down 6-5, AIC went on a 4-0 run to force a timeout from Mankato. Trailing 19-16, the Yellow Jackets started to make a push and cut their deficit down to one before the Mavericks closed out the set on a 6-1 run.
• Leading 4-3, Mankato won three straight and forced a timeout by AIC head coach Matt Cribbin. The Mavericks came out swinging and took three of the next four points. AIC responded with a 4-1 rally and forced a Maverick timeout. Trailing 23-15, the Yellow Jackets used an error by Mankato and kills by Serra and Gonzalez to make it 23-18. It was not enough as the Mavericks spoiled AIC's season opener by taking the set 25-18.

GAME TWO:

• Tied at two in the first set, the Buccaneers started an 8-2 run to take the 10-4 lead. AIC fought back with a run of their own to make it an 11-8 game. Trailing 17-10, the Yellow Jackets rallied again to make it a 19-14 game, but the Buccaneers took the first set 25-15.
• Tied at two in the second frame, the Yellow Jackets took three straight to take the 5-2 lead and held it until Barry tied the set at 10 and forced Cribbin to call his first timeout. Trailing 19-15, the Yellow Jackets made a late push to keep the game alive, but dropped the second set 25-20.
• In the third set, the Yellow Jackets trailed 7-4 when they went on a 4-0 run to take the 8-7 lead. Sophomore outside hitter Lyanne Hernandez had back-to-back kills to make it a 16-11 game in favor of the home team. The Buccaneers took the third set 25-15.

GAME NOTES:

• Don't fret, the last two times the Yellow Jackets started off the season 0-2, they have made the NCAA East Region title game.
• For the first time this season and the 18^th time in her career, Serra recorded a double-double.
• With her 25 kills on the first day of the season, Serra is 30 kills away from the 500 career kills milestone.
• Freshman setter Naomi Eckert recorded her first double-double of her college career.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets will face off against East Stroudsburg University at 1 p.m. before taking on Saint Leo University at 6 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:
For more updates about the AIC volleyball team, follow@AICvbonTwitterand likeAIC VolleyballonFacebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.