MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat volleyball team began its 2024 season Thursday night when it hosted the Brenau University Golden Tigers for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) showdown inside McAlister Gymnasium. After dropping the initial two sets, the Cavaliers stormed back to take the final three frames and win the match, 3-2. With the triumph, Montreat secured its first win under head coach Cristina Viera, and the squad improved to 1-0 (1-0 AAC).
 
Brenau (2-3, 0-1 AAC) never trailed during the opening frame, storming out to a 7-3 lead and expanding its edge to as many as seven points late in the set. The visitors hit .259 over the course of the frame, and they rode that efficiency to a 25-18 first-set win.
 
The Golden Tigers were even more efficient in the second frame. Fifteen kills and a .382 hitting percentage overpowered the Cavs' best attacking percentage of the night (.306). A 5-0 start to the set coupled with five Montreat service errors aided the away side in claiming the second frame as well, 25-22.
 
The Cavaliers began their comeback in the third set. Defensively, Montreat ramped up its intensity, holding BU to successively worse hitting percentages with each passing frame. Kamryn Wolf (six kills) and Elizabeth Harrington (three kills) sparked the hosts' attack, prolonging the match with a 25-21 win in the third.
 
A stark hitting disparity (.276 to .000) helped Montreat force the final frame. The Cavs doubled up the Golden Tigers in kills (14-7) during the fourth, and they swiftly flipped a 15-15 set score into a 25-18 set win.
 
Brenau held a 4-2 lead early in the fifth frame, but a series of attacking errors and one massive tandem block from Shalice Lynch and Sophie Duckworth gave the home team all the momentum. An 8-2 run put the contest away for good as the Cavaliers closed out their come-from-behind win via a 15-10 fifth frame.
 
"The team showed great resilience and determination, staying focused and fighting from behind until the end," Viera said. "We're grateful for the support from everyone, which gave us the extra energy to come back and secure our first win."
 
Wolf led the way with 20 kills, while Harrington contributed 14 kills and a stellar .423 hitting percentage. Katie Alexander (27 assists) and Reese Davis (21 assists) each eclipsed the 20-assist mark, and Cate Hale tallied 15 digs. Karly Horn (four aces) and Davis (three assists) led the hosts behind the service line.
 
As a team, the Cavs finished the night with more kills (57-50) and a better hitting percentage (.227 to .179). The hosts also maintained advantages in service aces (10-5), blocks (7-6) and assists (53-47).
 
Montreat is back in action tomorrow night for another AAC match, this time against St. Andrews University. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside McAlister Gymnasium.