Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Misericordia University women's volleyball team opened the season with a split, Friday at the Anderson Center.

After sweeping Cazenovia, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-12), the Cougars fell to RIT, 3-1 (14-25, 25-16, 19-25, 25-27).

Shelby Brochetti had a team-high 13 kills against Cazenovia and Nicole Tagerty had 10 assists and four aces.

Natalie Burns and Tagerty both had five kills and Ariana Gagliardi had 11 assists.

Against RIT, Brochetti had 10 kills and Tagerty had six kills and 10 assists.  Meghan Stack added eight kills.

Tagerty had a pair of service aces as the Cougars opened a quick 4-0 lead in the opening set against Cazenovia.

A Tagerty kill and a dink from Stack gave the Cougars a 9-4 lead.

Swanson's kill and a Brochetti ace made it 17-11 and Tagerty and Natalie Burns had back-to-back kills for 22-14 lead.

Brochetti's push made it 24-19 and Swanson smashed a shot down the middle for the clincher.

Trailing 20-15 in the second set, the Cougars rallied for a 25-23 win.

Stack put one away down the left side and Brochetti followed with a kill to get within 20-17.

Two Cazenovia errors and an ace from Lexi Giannone cut the deficit to 22-21.

Brochetti eventually tied it, 23-23, with a kill and the Cougars closed the set on two Cazenovia misplays.

Tagerty had two early aces to give MU the lead in the finale.  Michelle Sehested had her first collegiate kill and Paige Shaughnessy followed with two kills for a 20-11 lead.

Natalie Burns smashed a shot in the middle of the floor and Shaughnessy closed the set and match with another kill.

Against RIT, the Cougars led the opener 12-10, but the Tigers closed the set on a 15-2 run.

Brochetti and Burns had several key plays as the Cougars used an 11-5 run of their own to win the second set, 25-16.

RIT used two late aces to clinch the third set, 25-19, and the Tigers squeaked out the finale, 27-25.