COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Montreat College volleyball team lost a three-set Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) match to the reigning league champions, the Columbia International University Rams, on Tuesday evening. CIU registered 41 kills and a .309 hitting percentage during the contest, powering itself to frame scores of 25-20, 25-18 and 25-18. With the result in Columbia, S.C., the Cavaliers moved to 4-10 (2-6 AAC) on the year, while the Rams climbed to 10-10 (6-2 AAC).
Battling in the opening set, the visitors twice put together four-point responses after falling behind by nine and seven points; however, the hosts still walked away with a 25-20 triumph to begin the match.
Elizabeth Harrington recorded the Cavs' initial two points on kills set by
Taylor Shaw and
Katie Alexander, but Columbia International moved from a 2-2 tie to a 5-2 advantage thanks to two attack errors and a kill. Kills from Alexander,
Josie Leatherman and
Ruthann Stout kept Montreat within shouting distance, but the Rams swiftly expanded their edge out to 16-8. Harrington and Leatherman notched back-to-back successful attacks after a timeout, and
Rafaela Scherer and
Judah Reece helped slice the gap down to 23-20. In the end, though, CIU responded and clinched the first frame with a block.
The Cavaliers jumped in front, 7-3, early in set two behind an Alexander service ace and kills from Harrington and Leatherman. Unfortunately for the away side, Columbia International mustered an 8-0 run immediately after. Harrington halted a 6-0 Rams' spurt later in the frame, and Leatherman and Reece forced a timeout in the closing stages. Despite the effort, the hosts converted their advantage into a 25-18 win.
Like the previous set, Montreat came out swinging in the third. Leatherman and Reece each delivered two kills, and Harrington tallied a solo block to help move the visitors ahead, 5-2. Another Harrington block helped the Cavs maintain their slight lead midway through the frame at 13-12. CIU pieced together a key stretch in response, swiping seven of the ensuing eight points to flip its deficit into a 19-14 edge. Leatherman attacks accounted for three of the Cavaliers' final four points, but the damage was already done. Replicating the second set with another 25-18 scoreline, the Rams closed out their three-frame victory.
Most of the major statistical categories favored the home team. Columbia International ended the night with the upper hand in hitting percentage (.309 to .082), kills (41-32), assists (33-30), service aces (5-2) and blocks (9-2). The Cavs accumulated more digs than their opposition (41-35).
Leatherman and Reece matched their season-highs with 13 kills and 10 kills, respectively. The former's total led all players, and she also contributed three digs. The latter's mark occurred on 25 swings. Alexander recorded 15 assists, seven digs, one kill and one service ace. Shaw also turned in double-digit assists with 11.
Allie Anderson collected a team-best eight digs, three assists and one ace.
Up next, the Montreat College volleyball team hosts Johnson University on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. inside McAlister Gymnasium in Montreat, N.C.
