MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Sophomore Ylenia De Mango tallied 13 of her career-high 17 kills of the match in the third and fourth sets to lead the Auburn University at Montgomery to a 3-1 (25-10, 25-20, 26-28, 25-20) victory over Edward Waters Saturday evening to cap off the 2022 Warhawk Invitational.
 
The Warhawks also earned a 3-0 (25-8, 25-21, 25-13) victory over Albany State on Saturday to even their season record at 6-6.
 
De Mango finished the two matches with 21 combined kills, while Kendall McCain added 27 total kills. Giulia Santuari added 19 kills on the day. McCain also led the team with 27 total digs, while Brynne Hopeau-Lampitoc finished with 22 total digs in the victories. Amber Bretwisch assisted on 73 points.

THE WARMUP (Match 1)
Score: AUM 3, ASU 0 (25-8, 25-21, 25-13)
Records: AUM 5-6 | ASU 2-3
Series: AUM improved to 7-0 all time against the Lady Rams
Location: Montgomery, Ala. | AUM Gymnasium
Get Social: Twitter & Instagram - @AUMWarhawksVB

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warhawks scored 20 of the first 23 points in set one and gained a quick 1-0 advatnage in the match. McCain led AUM with three kills, while De Mango, Santuari and Kyla Ffrench each chipped in two. Campbell Gash had four aces in the set.
• The second set was back-and-forth, with Albany State holding a 17-16 lead after an AUM attack error. However the Warhawks countered with a 6-1 run, capped by kills from Santuari and Roberta Monticelli, to take the lead for good. De Mango closed the set with a kill and gave AUM a 2-0 advantage.
• AUM raced out to a 13-5 lead behind a pair of kills from Santuari, as well as one each from De Mango and Gabriela Bieniek. After a kill from Bieniek forced match point, McCain finished off her seven kill to clinch the victory.

STATS OF THE MATCH

• Santuari led all players with nine kills in the match, hitting .500, and contributing a block assist.
• McCain had seven kills and tied for a team-best nine digs. She also added two service aces and a solo block.
• Monticelli tallied six kills, three digs and a block assist.
• Ffrench finished with five kills, a pair of digs and a block assist.
• Gash assisted on eight points, posted five service aces and added three digs.
• Bretwisch led all players with 20 assists and tied for a team-leading nine digs.
• Kamryn Lane recorded a team-high seven kills for Albany State, while Kassandra Kile finished with a match-high 10 digs.

THE WARMUP (Match 2)
Score: AUM 3, EWU 1 (25-10, 25-20, 26-28, 25-20)
Records: AUM 6-6 | EWY 6-5
Series: AUM is 1-0 against Edward Waters all time.
Location: Montgomery, Ala. | AUM Gymnasium
Get Social: Twitter & Instagram - @AUMWarhawksVB

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warhawks scored the first eight points of the first set and 19 of the first 23 to run away with set one. Despite a late Tigers' run, the Warhawks took a 1-0 lead, allowing just 10 points in the first set. McCain finished with six kills in the set, with Monticelli leading the way with six digs. AUM hit .393 for the set, while holding Edward Waters to just five kills in the set.
• Despite trailing 4-3 early, the Warhawks took control of the second set with a 4-0 spurt midway through to establish at 15-7 lead following a Ffrench kill. McCain and Santuari also had finishes during the run, while McCain also added an ace. The Tigers closed the gap to 17-15, but a kill by Keren Santana and three EWU attack errors opened up a 21-16 AUM lead. McCain finished off the set with her 11th kill of the match and gave the Warhawks a 2-0 advantage.
• AUM was tied or trailed the early part of the third set, taking its first lead 13-12 on a kill from McCain. The Warhawks led 21-16 following an attack error by the Tigers, but an 8-1 run by Edward Waters set up a set point at 24-22. De Mango put the team on her back and recorded three consecutive kills to give AUM a 25-24 lead. After a fourth straight point earned by De Mango gave the Warhawks a 26-25 advantage, the Tigers blocked a pair of AUM attacks to establish a set point. EWU capped off the third-set win with an ace to cut the deficit to 2-1.
• After jockeying back-and-forth early, the two teams played to a 16-16 tie midway through set four. De Mango gave the Warhawks the lead for good with a kill, before adding her 17th kill of the match to extend the lead. McCain was also critical down the stretch, recording three kills in the final five points for the Warhawks.

STATS OF THE MATCH

• De Mango finished with a career-best 17 kills on 52 swings, adding six digs, one solo block and a block assist.
• McCain contributed 20 kills and a team-best 18 digs, while recording two of the Warhawks' six service aces in the match.
• Santuari matched a career-high with 10 kills, while contributing two digs and a block assist.
• Ffrench tallied eight kills, a dig and a service ace.
• Monticelli contributed a career-high 17 digs, adding six kills and two service aces.
• Reann Cato recorded 11 digs in the match, one shy of her season high.
• Andrea Diaz Merced finished with a match-high 28 digs for Edward Waters.
• Fatima Ramirez and Naomy Vergez Varona posted double-digit kill totals, finishing with 16 and 11, respectively, for the Tigers.
• Catherine Richards finished with five kills, a solo block and a team-lead six of the Tigers' 20 block assists.

UP NEXT
The Warhawks will return to action on Tuesday, September 13, when they open Gulf South Conference play at home against West Georgia. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
   
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