KINGSPORT, Tenn.— The No. 10-seeded Montreat volleyball team faced the No. 7 Point University Skyhawks in the first round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament in Kingsport, Tenn. Wednesday afternoon. Following three close sets, the Cavaliers bowed out of the bracket with a 3-0 defeat, ending their year with a 12-18 (8-13 AAC) record.
 
Point (14-15, 10-10 AAC) claimed nine of the opening 11 points of the contest to jump out to an early advantage; however, Montreat immediately responded with three straight points to cut into its deficit. The teams battled back and forth, with the Cavs inching within four multiple times throughout the frame, but the Skyhawks ultimately went up 1-0 in the match with a 25-20 first-set win.
 
Six different Cavaliers recorded kills in the first set, a frame in which Point edged Montreat in both kills (15-12) and hitting percentage (0.270-0.189). Destini Phifer and Haley Horton each registered three kills, while Cambria Bowen dug nine opposing attacks.
 
Using momentum gained from victories on long rallies, Point built an early lead in the second set as well, expanding its advantage to six (8-2). The Cavaliers immediately rebounded over the next serves, winning 10 of the ensuing 14 points, capped off by a Horton kill to tie the set at 12. Both teams went on runs, with the Skyhawks earning four consecutive points before Montreat used five straight to lead 17-16.
 
Errors hurt the Cavaliers, who attempted to even the match at one. As the second frame reached its conclusion, three of the Cavs' 10 attack miscues in the set proved costly as Point closed with a 5-1 stretch to win by four and gain a 2-0 advantage in the match.
 
The third and final frame began tighter than the first two, with the Skyhawks up only 6-5 before building the lead to four (12-8). Montreat captured the next eight rallies with Katie James serving to go up by four itself; however, Point responded with a run, including seven consecutive points to pull within three of a sweep (22-19). Though the Cavaliers fought valiantly to even the set at 23, the Skyhawks won the last two points to complete their triumph.
 
Point ended with a slight advantage in kills (40-34) and hitting percentage (0.134-0.089), but Horton tied for the match high with eight kills. Phifer and Kamryn Wolf each added seven kills, while Reese Davis (16 assists) and James (13 assists) split time setting. Bowen concluded the day with a match-best 22 digs and Wolf registered 15.