BLUEFIELD, Va. — The Montreat College volleyball team fell to Bluefield University 3-0 Friday evening in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup. The Cavaliers held a 7-2 advantage in blocks but could not turn that edge into a victory. Following the result, the Cavs dropped to 5-15 overall (3-11 AAC), while the Rams improved to 5-15 (2-12 AAC).
The Cavaliers responded to an early 5-4 deficit by winning seven of the next eight points to take an 11-6 lead. Josie Leatherman and Maggie Furches each recorded a kill during the stretch, while Isabella Farmer added a service ace and BU committed several attack errors.
Bluefield rallied to take a 17-16 lead, but Farmer's second ace put the visitors back in front, 18-17. Kills from Elizabeth Harrington and Furches kept the Cavs within reach late in the frame. Leatherman gave Montreat a 24-23 edge with a kill before also tying the score at 25 and 26. However, the Rams claimed the final two points to take the opening set 28-26.
Montreat started the second frame with four consecutive points on Brittany Jack's service, highlighted by a Judah Reece kill off an assist from Katie Alexander and a kill from Harrington. Bluefield answered with seven straight points, though, moving ahead 7-4 in the process. Leatherman ended the run with an attack off another Alexander assist before adding another kill at 12-6. Ruthann Stout and Madysan Mauney combined for a block, while Furches contributed a kill and a solo block. Leatherman added two more kills late in the frame, but the hosts maintained their lead to win the set, 25-16.
The Cavaliers battled to a 6-6 tie early in the third frame, with Harrington and Reece recording kills before the Rams moved ahead. Montreat continued to challenge BU midway through the frame, as a Furches kill, a block assist from Harrington and Stout and kills from Alexander and Leatherman brought the score to 17-15.
The home side extended its lead to 21-16, but the Cavs responded with consecutive points on attack errors. The Rams then took three of the final four points to close out the set, 25-19, and complete the sweep.
Statistically, the Cavs finished with a 7-2 advantage in blocks. Bluefield led in hitting percentage (.188 to .081), kills (45-27), assists (42-23), service aces (7-2) and digs (63-57).
Leatherman paced the Cavaliers with 13 kills and 13.5 points while adding four digs. Alexander registered 17 assists and five digs, while Allie Anderson collected 14 digs and one assist. Jack tallied 10 digs. Harrington finished with six kills and four block assists.
Montreat remains on the road tomorrow to face the University of Pikeville Bears in an AAC matchup in Pikeville, Ky. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
