MONTREAT, N.C. — The Montreat College volleyball team dropped its home opener on Tuesday evening to Truett McConnell University, 3-0, in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup. The Cavaliers were held to 18 kills and a -.050 hitting percentage, while the Bears recorded 38 kills and hit .207. Following the 25-18, 25-18, 25-13 defeat, the Cavs moved to 3-5 (1-1 AAC) on the year, while TMU improved to 12-4 (2-0 AAC).
The Cavs spent the opening set playing from behind after the visitors turned a 1-1 tie into a 6-1 advantage. Following a Montreat timeout, Rafaela Scherer connected on a kill from Taylor Shaw before Bonnie Trautman and Josie Leatherman added kills off passes from Selma Scott, cutting the deficit to 9-5. The Bears responded with four consecutive points to extend their lead to 13-5, but the hosts answered with a Leatherman kill, a Shaw service ace and a Truett McConnell attack error to pull within five at 13-8.
Shaw continued to facilitate the offense late in the frame, assisting on kills by Elizabeth Harrington, Scherer and Trautman as the Cavaliers exchanged side-out points with TMU. Montreat then fought off four set points after falling behind 24-14, thanks in part to a Harrington block, but Truett McConnell eventually secured the opening set, 25-18.
TMU carried its momentum into the second frame, opening with an 8-1 advantage. The Cavs gradually chipped away at the deficit, pulling within two at 17-15 later in the set, highlighted by a Leatherman kill off a Shaw assist. The Bears responded with six consecutive points to regain control before closing out the frame, 25-18.
Montreat opened the third set with a 2-1 lead after a pair of Truett McConnell attack errors, but the Bears soon created separation, turning a 4-4 scoreline into an 11-5 lead. The Cavaliers retaliated with their strongest push of the frame, getting two kills from Judah Reece and an assisted block from Trautman and Reece to cut the deficit to three (12-9). TMU answered, though, eventually extending its edge to 20-10. The Cavs continued to battle through the final points but could not erase the deficit as the Bears secured the match with a 25-13 victory.
The visitors held the advantage across the major statistical categories, including kills (38-18), digs (36-29), assists (35-18), service aces (7-2), blocks (6-3) and hitting percentage (.207 to -.050).
Trautman finished with four kills on eight attacks and added a service ace and two blocks. Leatherman led Montreat with six kills on 24 attacks. Shaw recorded a team-high 12 assists to go along with six digs and an ace, while Harrington added four kills on 17 attacks.
Up next, Montreat hosts Reinhardt University on Friday, Sept. 18, inside McAlister Gymnasium for the second contest of its three-match homestand. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Montreat, N.C.
