MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat volleyball team dropped its contest against the Bryan College Lions Friday evening by a score of 3-0 after several attack errors. With the home defeat, the Cavaliers fell to 11-17 overall and 7-13 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play.
 
Montreat began the competition by winning four consecutive points and five of the initial six thanks to a trio of kills from Taylor Rouse. As Bryan answered to knot the frame at seven, the teams traded points midway through the set, fueled by the rest of Rouse's six first-set kills. Trailing 19-18, the Cavs surrendered a 6-2 stretch that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the match. Rouse ended with seven kills on the evening.
 
Bryan (23-5, 19-2 AAC) utilized the momentum from the end of the opening frame to capture a 25-12 victory and go up 2-0. The Lions recorded 14 kills to only one error, hitting 0.394 to lead by as many as 14 points throughout the set. Montreat tallied eight miscues on offense as the squad struggled to connect in the attack.
 
The Cavaliers looked to remain alive in the match with a third set triumph; however, the home team sputtered offensively again, hitting negatively with nine mistakes at the net. Defensively, the Cavs attempted to stave off the Lions' attack through Cambria Bowen's match-high 21 digs, but Montreat dropped the final frame by 11.
 
"I thought we had great defense and serve receive tonight, but it was not enough to make up for our hitting errors," said head coach Haley Paonessa.
 
Haley Horton captained the Montreat attack with nine kills, while Katie James led all players with 28 assists. Overall, the Lions hit 0.281 to the Cavs' 0.036 and Bryan registered nine blocks to the home team's four.
 
Volleyball plays its regular season finale on Friday inside McAlister Gymnasium. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.