HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Saturday's Marshall Invitational finale gave the University of Evansville volleyball team a chance to show what they are made of.  Following a pair of close defeats on Friday, the Purple Aces put it all together on Saturday, earning a 3-0 sweep over the Thundering Herd inside the Cam Henderson Center.

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Box Score

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Hitting .356 as a team, UE was able to earn the impressive road sweep.  Pacing the offense was Alondra Vazquez, who totaled 16 kills while Giulia Cardona added 12 and Melanie Feliciano finished with nine.  All three led UE with eight digs.  Kora Ruff was impressive, adding 35 assists, five digs and three aces.  As a team, Evansville had nine service aces with Cardona leading the way with four.  Brooke Springer and Madisyn Steele both finished with three total blocks.
 
Set 1 – UE 25, MU 16
After struggling in the opening moments of sets throughout Friday's opening contests, Evansville came out strong in game one, jumping out to a 4-1 lead.  The trio of Alondra Vazquez, Melanie Feliciano and Giulia Cardona each recorded a kill.  Two more Vazquez kills were followed by Brooke Springer's first of the day to set the Aces up with a 13-7 advantage.
 
Back-to-back service aces by freshman Kora Ruff solidified a 16-9 lead and UE would cruise from there, taking the set by a 25-16 final.
 
Set 2 – UE 25, MU 19
It was the defense that gave the Aces their first lead in the second frame.  Tied at 3-3, Springer and Feliciano assisted on a block that put UE on top.  Feliciano and Cardona each added kills in a stretch that saw UE take a 7-3 edge.  Madisyn Steele made her presence known on the offensive side, recording a kill that pushed the lead to 12-6.
 
While the Thundering Herd would get as close as five points over the remainder of the set, the Purple Aces remained in control to take a 2-0 lead on the strength of a 25-19 decision.  Cardona had the clinching kill and was responsible for four of UE's final six tallies in the set.
 
Set 3 – UE 25, MU 20
Action was back-and-forth in the opening stages before UE turned a 7-7 tie into a 10-7 lead.  Feliciano followed a service ace with a kill to cap off the run.  Slowly but surely, UE added to its lead.  While the advantage reached as many as six tallies, the Aces did not allow Marshall to get closer than three points.
 
Down the stretch, kills from Vazquez and Cardona lifted the lead to 23-17 and it was Cardona who put the exclamation mark on the night, picking up the clinching kill in a 25-20 win.
 
Next up for UE is the home opener on Tuesday evening when the Aces welcome USI for a 6 p.m. match-up.