MONTREAT, N.C.— In a battle against the Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs Tuesday evening, the Montreat volleyball team captured a four-set victory inside McAlister Gymnasium. The Cavaliers improved to 8-10 overall and 4-8 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play with the win.
 
Behind a powerful attack, Montreat claimed the first set with ease. The Cavs hit 0.414 with a match-high 14 kills to win the opening frame by 13 points. A potent attack fueled by six Haley Horton kills allowed the home team to go up 1-0 in the match thanks to a 16-4 run.
 
The Bulldogs (3-20, 1-13 AAC) fought back in the next set; however, the Cavaliers were equal to the task. Though TWU recorded its best hitting frame (13 kills on a 0.171 percentage), Montreat clawed back after saving two set points when down 24-23 and 25-24, using three consecutive points, including kills by Taylor Rouse and Horton and a service ace from Mackailyn Cherry to win the back-and-forth frame 27-25.
 
Needing a win to stay alive, the Bulldogs answered with a two-point set victory of their own. Montreat's worst hitting set of the evening (10 kills and a 0.079 hitting percentage) cost the home team late as Tennessee Wesleyan took its first set 25-23.
 
Facing adversity, the Cavaliers rebounded in the fourth set to seal the home triumph. Notching another 14 kills in what turned out to be the final frame, the Cavs closed the match with a 10-3 stretch to win 25-18. Horton ended the night with a match-high 13 kills, while Kamryn Wolf added an impressive 12. Katie James finished with 25 assists and Cambria Bowen (16) and McKinley Edmondson (10) each registered double-digit dig efforts.
 
"We had a very fast execution in that first set, and then we did a very good job of transitioning what we did in practice yesterday into the match," said head coach Haley Paonessa. "We worked on covering and coming back from 2-0 to finish games and that's what the team did tonight," finished Paonessa.
 
Volleyball now hosts Truett McConnell on Friday. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m. inside McAlister Gymnasium.