HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Union College women's volleyball team started its 2025 season with a strong opening match against a team receiving votes in the AVCA national poll, but the Garnet Chargers came a few points short in a 3-2 (25-27, 25-16, 25-9, 18-25, 15-13) loss to Stevens Institute of Technology on day one of the Haverford College Invitational on Friday evening at Calvin J. Gooding Arena.
 
Senior Shannon McGrath started her season with a team-best 14 kills and added 13 digs and three service aces, and sophomore Allie Kronenberg joined her with a double-double of 33 assists and 13 digs to go with a team-leading six blocks. Senior Georgia Pool chipped in a team-high 22 digs and junior Shelby McKim added nine kills for Union (0-1) as well.
 
Sarah Bolduc put down a match-high 16 kills on .394 hitting to lead Stevens (1-0), while Alexa Brucclieri recorded a match-high 36 assists and Paulina Miller matched Pool with a match-high 22 digs.
 
The Garnet Chargers put up a good fight in the opening frame, coming back from several deficits to steal away the first set. Stevens led by five at 11-6 before five straight points knotted the score, helped by two blocks and a kill from Kronenberg. The Ducks bumped the lead back to five on several occasions after that, but Union had a response each time. Stevens looked to finally be in control up 24-22, but two service errors and a McGrath kill staved off three set points. With the score tied at 25, another Stevens error gave Union its first set point and McGrath put down an ace to give Union the edge.
 
Stevens dialed up the offensive attack in the second and third frames, hitting .242 in the second stanza to even the match before racking up 14 kills with only one error for .565 hitting in a dominating third frame.
 
It was Union's turn to go nearly errorless in the fourth frame, however, as Union put down nine kills with only one error to send the match to a fifth set. The Garnet Chargers scored four straight to take their first lead at 10-8 after a McGrath ace, and Union never trailed the rest of the way. With the score knotted at 16, Union took advantage of five straight Stevens errors to build up a 21-16 advantage and eventually closed the frame with a kill by first-year Shea Ringel.
 
Union kept up the momentum to start the fifth set, taking a 7-4 lead the midway point of the frame. With the set tied at nine, a McGrath kill and a solo block by sophomore Melody Herrin put the Garnet Chargers within four points of a win. McKim got Union within two at 13-12 with a kill, but the Ducks came back with three straight kills to finish off the match.
 
The Garnet Chargers hit .258 over the final two sets to end the day at .138, while Stevens finished the afternoon hitting at a .197 clip.
 
Union will return to action for two more matches tomorrow, taking on the host Fords at 11 a.m. and Lebanon Valley College at 1 p.m.