Box Score (Caldwell)  |  Box Score (Jefferson)

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University's outstanding start to the season continued on Day 1 of the ESU Invitational on Friday, as the Warriors picked up victories over Caldwell and Jefferson to remain unbeaten on the year.

ESU (6-0) swept Caldwell by a 3-0 final to begin the afternoon and dispatched of Jefferson in four sets in the night cap. The Warriors are off to the program's best start since the 2006 team also began 6-0. They have won 18 of 19 contested sets overall.

Junior Sarah Smith was again a key factor in the team's success, totaling a team-high 32 kills (with a .329 attack percentage) and 25 digs across the two matches. She had 20 kills and 18 digs in the win over Jefferson, registering the 20th double-double of her ESU career.

Junior Jasmine Williams added 17 kills (.387 attack percentage) and 10 blocks on the day for the Warriors, while freshman Kailyn Pyle stood out against Jefferson with 10 kills, nine blocks and four digs.

ESU concludes the two-day tournament on Saturday, hosting Saint Anselm at 11 a.m. and New Haven at 3 p.m. inside Koehler Fieldhouse.

Match 1: ESU 3, Caldwell 0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-14)

The Warriors hit .266 as a team while topping the Cougars (0-1) in their season opener, including a dominant .360 hitting rate in the final set.

The teams were tied 22-22 in the later stages of Set 1, when a Smith kill began a stretch of three-straight ESU points to wrap up the frame.

The Warriors steadily added to their advantage in the second set, and they were never threatened in Set 3. Caldwell advanced to the NCAA DII tournament last fall after winning the CACC championship. The Cougars totaled an overall record of 25-8 during the 2017 season.

Smith led ESU with 12 kills and seven digs. Williams followed with eight kills and four blocks, while freshman Andrea Coyle supplied seven kills, four digs and two aces. Senior Tina Predojevic chipped in 29 aces and a pair of aces.

The win gave the Warriors five-straight sweeps to begin a season for the first time since 1986.

Match 2: ESU 3, Jefferson 1 (26-24, 24-26, 25-19, 25-18)

The Warriors capped off the afternoon with a win over a Jefferson squad which was coming off a 26-7 season in 2017. The Rams went 18-1 vs. CACC opponents last fall before being upset by Caldwell in the conference final.

ESU held a commanding 18-8 advantage in the opening set before Jefferson (0-2) stormed back with a 12-1 run to jump ahead 20-19. The Warriors, though, regained the lead with three-straight kills from Pyle. With the score again tied at 24-24, kills by Williams and Smith secured the set for the home side.

ESU's run of 16 straight set wins to begin the year was ended in the following frame, as the Rams overcame an early 7-3 deficit and ultimately won the set after back-to-back Warrior errors.

ESU quickly recovered, winning seven of the first nine points in Set 3 and maintaining its advantage throughout. Set 4 was tied 12-12 midway through, but the Warriors won three of the following four points and steadily increased the margin for the remainder of the match.

Smith reached 20 kills in a match for the third time at ESU, and the first time since Oct. 29, 2016 during her freshman year. The reigning PSAC Southeast Athlete of the Week has recorded double-digit kills in four-straight matches.

Freshman Emily Meredith and Predojevic also reached double figures in digs with 16 and 12, respectively. Predojevic added 46 assists and three blocks.

The Warriors out-blocked the Rams by a 15-6 margin overall, with Pyle (9), Williams (6) and junior Daisy Dinkins (4) leading the home side at the net.