MONTREAT, N.C.— In McAlister Gymnasium Thursday evening, the Montreat volleyball team utilized a career-high 28 kills from freshman Kamryn Wolf to take a home matchup with the Milligan University Buffaloes in five sets. With the thrilling triumph, the Cavaliers moved to 10-12 (6-10 AAC) on the year.
 
Wolf began her night with a quiet four kills in the opening frame, a set which Milligan took by five points thanks to a match-best 19 kills and a 0.333 hitting percentage. Though Montreat remained close to the visitors throughout much of the set, the Buffaloes claimed a 1-0 lead with a 25-20 win.
 
In set number two, the Cavaliers responded, notching 16 kills, five from Wolf, to even the match at one with a slim 25-23 triumph. Montreat then added another massive attack in the third frame, their best hitting set of the night (16 kills on a 0.324 hitting percentage), to go up 2-1 in the contest. Wolf contributed with seven additional killed attempts in the frame, surging past her previous career-high (15) through only three sets. The Cavaliers held off a stout Milligan offense to earn a three-point victory.
 
Despite another seven kills from the freshman in the fourth frame, MU (11-16, 9-8 AAC) evened the competition at two with a commanding 25-17 set win. In the decisive fifth set, the visitors' offense sputtered, while Wolf and the Cavs took advantage. Following a 4-1 stretch by Milligan to start the fifth, Montreat answered with a pair of kills by Wolf and three Buffaloes' attack miscues to take a 6-5 lead.
 
In the last points of the exciting match, the Cavaliers fended off a 13-12 deficit and closed the night with a trio of Wolf kills, giving her the most kills by a Cav since Sept. 30, 2010, when Allison Baumgartner recorded as many in a five-set match against Milligan. On 52 swings, Wolf registered a 0.481 hitting percentage, a match high.
 
"The difference from Tuesday to today was astronomical," said Wolf. She continued, "Everyone trusted each other on the court- I trusted our defense and I trusted our setter. I think we were really excited for this game and our crowd really helped. We wanted to win this one, and we got the job done."
 
Katie James also tallied a career best in the assist category, totaling 53 helpers on the home team's 60 kills. James pushed Montreat to its first victory over the Buffaloes since Oct. 3, 2017, snapping a nine-game losing skid to Milligan with her impressive setting game.
 
Three Cavaliers finished the night with double-digits in the kill category, including Wolf, while as many Cavaliers ended with at least 10 digs. Taylor Rouse killed 15 of her 36 swings for a 0.278 hitting percentage, and Haley Horton closed the evening with 11 kills. Defensively, Cambria Bowen led the dig category for the team (16), tying for the match high. Wolf recorded the first double-double of her career with an 11-dig effort, and Mackailyn Cherry concluded the contest with 10 digs.
 
"I loved seeing us earn a win against Milligan tonight," mentioned head coach Haley Paonessa. Paonessa added, "Everyone did a great job of contributing and Kamryn Wolf dominated at the net."
 
The Cavaliers are back at home on Saturday for Senior Day. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and Senior Day ceremonies will take place in between the junior varsity and varsity matches.