Portsmouth, Ohio – Shawnee State volleyball got the season off to a good start on Friday, going 2-0 at the Volley in the Mountains Classic at Montreat College (NC). The Bears defeated Taylor (Ind.) 3-0 and Talladega (Ala.) 3-0.

Shawnee State would start the season with a win by sweeping Taylor in a close match. SSU and Taylor would match point-for-point the whole way, with Shawnee State winning in extra points 26-24. The first set win would propel Shawnee State forward, with the Bears taking control of the match and putting Taylor away in three sets, winning the second set 25-20 and the third 25-15.

Tyanna Smith (JR/Bowling Green, Ohio) would get her Shawnee State career off to a good start in the first match, getting eight kills to lead SSU. Carson Roney (SO/Waverly, Ohio) and Christina Shelton (SR/Blue Creek, Ohio) both chipped in with six kills. Deanna Smith (SR/Riverview, MI) had 24 assists for Shawnee State, while also leading the team with nine digs.

SSU's second match of the day would be won in far more dominant fashion as SSU easily dispatched Talladega in three sets. Shawnee State would never be in danger in all three sets as the Bears would win the first set 25-17, set two 25-12, and set three 25-14.

Shelton and Roney again matched each other in kills, with both players getting 10 to lead the team. Tyanna Smith chipped in with eight kills. Deanna Smith had 33 assists, and libero Brianna Wiget (SR/Piketon, Ohio) had 25 digs.

The wins improves Shawnee State's record to 2-0 to start the year. Taylor and Talladega both fell to 0-1 on the year.

Shawnee State will play two more games tomorrow as they wrap up the Volley in the Mountains Classic with #17 Jamestown (ND) at 1:00pm and hosts Montreat (NC) at 5:00pm.