CLEVELAND, Ga. — The Montreat College volleyball team dropped an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) clash at Truett McConnell University on Tuesday evening, falling to the Bears in straight sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-16. With the result, the Cavaliers moved to 5-17 (3-13 AAC) on the year, while TMU climbed to 22-8 (12-4 AAC).
Errors accounted for the Cavs' initial three points of the opening frame, but the hosts established a 7-3 lead regardless.
Josie Leatherman's kill from
Taylor Shaw and
Ruthann Stout's first service ace of the campaign pulled the visitors within 7-5. Additional errors enabled Montreat to level the score at 8-8, and an
Isabella Farmer ace helped spark a 4-0 spurt in which the Cavaliers moved ahead, 12-10. Shaw later set up a
Maggie Furches kill, and the away side seized a 15-12 edge midway through the set; however, Truett McConnell dug deep and rattled off a 5-0 run and a 4-0 span to flip the frame back in its favor. Leatherman contributed four kills late, but the Bears ultimately won the frame, 25-21.
Three straight
Allie Anderson service aces aided the Cavs in battling back from a quick 6-1 hole in set two.
Judah Reece and Furches kills continued the visitors' momentum, and consecutive Leatherman attacks knotted the two teams at 12-12. TMU jumped back in front, though, with four straight points to claim a 19-15 lead.
Raylen Holder and Furches teamed up for a block late as the duo delivered Montreat's only score across the final six points. In the end, the second frame went the way of the hosts, 25-18.
Montreat briefly started with a 2-1 advantage in the third set on a Leatherman swing, which was assisted by Shaw, and a Bears' attack error, but a 10-1 run created a sizable lead for TMU. Leatherman kills and a solo block from Holder trimmed the Cavaliers' deficit to six points at 13-7. That proved to be as close as the Cavs could get, however. Truett McConnell kept its opposition at arm's length, and it clinched the match with a 25-16 final frame.
The Cavaliers accrued more service aces (6-3) and blocks (3-1) on the night, but the Bears finished the match with the statistical edge in kills (42-19), assists (35-18), digs (56-49) and hitting percentage (.245 to -.030).
Leatherman led both squads with 12 kills and 13 points while also adding five digs. Shaw finished with 18 assists and four digs. Anderson recorded three service aces, eight digs and a block assist, while Furches added eight digs, two kills and a block assist. Holder paced all players with two total blocks.
Up next, the Montreat College volleyball team hosts Columbia College on Friday, Oct. 23, for its senior night. First serve at McAlister Gymnasium is slated for 6:30 p.m., with senior recognitions to follow the match, in Montreat, N.C.
