MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat volleyball team achieved a major milestone on Tuesday night, winning its first match under interim head coach Brittany Carpenter thanks to a strong 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-22) showing against the Carolina University Bruins. With the victory inside McAlister Gymnasium, the Cavaliers are now 1-2 on the season.
 
"I think the atmosphere was really good tonight," said Montreat sophomore Kamryn Wolf. "Our crowd brought the energy, and we brought the energy. I think this game is going to set the pace for the whole season."
 
Both teams spent the early moments of the opening set alternating points, but Montreat quickly took control of things midway through the frame. Led by Wolf's six first-set kills, the Cavs rattled off six consecutive points to take a 16-9 lead on the Bruins. Montreat's strongest attacking set of the night came in the opening frame as it rode a .286-.094 hitting percentage advantage to a 25-16 initial frame victory.
 
Carolina (3-2) hung close with the Cavaliers part way through the second set, but like the opening frame, Montreat asserted its dominance at the set's midway point. With Destini Phifer serving, Wolf was responsible for four consecutive Cav points in set No. 2, handing Montreat a 16-10 lead in the process. That six-point margin remained in the frame's final score in favor of the Cavaliers, 25-19.
 
Montreat trailed the Bruins by multiple points just twice on Tuesday night—at the start of the second set and halfway through the third frame. A 4-0 Bruin run inched Carolina ahead, 16-14; however, service errors and the lethal attack of Wolf put the Bruin lead to rest quickly. Wolf tallied three kills, and Carolina committed four service errors down the final stretch to help flip the set and the match back in Montreat's favor for good. A service error gave the Cavs their final point to seize the third frame by a 25-22 score and the match in straight sets.
 
Wolf led all attackers on the night with 20 kills and a .421 hitting percentage. Reese Davis handled the setting for Montreat, racking up 30 assists along the way, and McKinley Edmondson paced both teams with 16 digs. The Cavaliers registered 37 total kills with a team hitting percentage of .191.
 
"I'm very proud of the way we competed tonight," Carpenter said. "It was good to get this three-set win, kind of get that out of the way, and now we can move on and go to Ohio this weekend with a win under our belt."
 
The Montreat women's volleyball team returns to action this Friday and Saturday for the Racer Classic, hosted by the University of Northwestern Ohio in Elida, Ohio. Montreat's first match begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday against Huntington University (Ind.), followed by an 8:00 p.m. clash that same night versus Lawrence Tech (Mich.).