Quick starts proved to be key to John Carroll's success Tuesday night at the DeCarlo Varsity Center, as the Blue Streaks would prevail in four games to win their 2009 home opener over Penn State-Behrend.

Box Score

In the three games JCU won in a 25-22, 25-27, 25-21, 25-11 victory over the visiting Lions, the Streaks built significant leads in the early going.

In the opener, the Streaks led 12-5 but had to hold off a late rally in which PSU-Behrend pulled to within 21-20 before JCU won by three. Meredith McDiarmind had five kills of her own and assisted on ten others in game one.

Game two was even through the first 28 points before the lions threatened to pull away. Behind Lauren Dalton's four kills and two blocks, PSU-Behrend led 21-16 before having to extra time for a 27-25 triumph.

It was back to quick starts in game three for the home team. A 17-10 lead enabled JCU to coast to a 25-21 win. Celia Mastrione and Jessica Hammer combined for 12 digs in that frame.

It was all Blue Streaks in the fourth, as MaryEileen Dalton added five more kills to her match-high total of 16 in the most lopsided of the four games.

John Carroll won for the sixth time in its last seven games and improved to 7-4 on the year, while PSU-Behrend had its five-game winning streak snapped in falling to 6-4.