WALESKA, Ga. — The Montreat College volleyball team lost its penultimate Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) match of the season on Friday evening, falling in three sets to the Reinhardt University Eagles. Behind a .308 hitting percentage and scores of 25-15, 25-10 and 25-21, the hosts dropped the Cavaliers' record to 6-19 (4-14 AAC) while boosting their own record to 22-6 (15-3 AAC).
RU created a swift 5-1 advantage to open the contest, but the visitors answered with seven of the ensuing eight points to secure an 8-6 lead.
Taylor Shaw assisted kills for
Maggie Furches and
Bonnie Trautman, while
Allie Anderson added a service ace during the stretch. A 5-0 spurt midway through the first frame enabled the Eagles to regain control.
Elizabeth Harrington,
Madysan Mauney and Furches delivered kills late in the set, though Reinhardt controlled the rest of the frame to start the match on top, 25-15.
Harrington attacks accounted for the Cavs' initial two points of the second set; however, RU proved responsible for the other 13 points. Facing a 13-2 gap, Montreat attempted to chip away, with Harrington contributing offensively and defensively at the net. The senior tallied four of the away side's 10 points in the frame, with the other six occurring via Reinhardt errors. The Eagles ultimately won the second set with a 25-10 scoreline.
Montreat saved its best volleyball for the third frame, and it nearly kept the contest alive. Furches served a four-point span that included a block and kills from
Josie Leatherman and Harrington, as well as a Furches ace. Another Harrington attack coupled with an Eagles error pushed the Cavaliers out to an 8-6 lead. RU utilized a 12-4 run in response, but the Cavs' 6-0 spurt behind kills from Harrington, Trautman and Leatherman, plus a service ace from Harrington, leveled the set at 20-20. Despite the effort, Reinhardt clinched its three-frame victory at 25-21 by seizing five of the last six rallies.
The Eagles concluded Friday's clash with statistical edges in hitting percentage (.308 to .012), kills (43-22), assists (39-20), digs (37-28), service aces (10-3) and blocks (8-2).
Harrington led all players with 10 kills while hitting .381, and she also notched one service ace and two total blocks. Shaw finished with 20 assists and four digs, while
Isabella Farmer recorded a team-high nine digs. Furches and Leatherman each registered four kills.
Up next, the Montreat College volleyball team heads to Gainesville, Ga., tomorrow to face Brenau University in its AAC finale. First serve is slated for 11 a.m.
