TIGERVILLE, S.C. - - Cavalier volleyball competed in a Tri-Tournament hosted by North Greenville University on Saturday. UVa-Wise (4-14, 1-4) was unable to walk away with a victory as the Cavs fell 3-0 to both Emmanuel College (10-7) and North Greenville University (12-7).
UVa-Wise started the day matching up against Emmanuel College as the Cavs suffered a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-16) defeat. The Cavaliers registered just 22 kills and 27 digs in the match. UVa-Wise opened the first set with a 4-2 advantage but the Lions managed to chip away at the lead to go up 16-12. Emmanuel College went on a late 5-1 run to extend the lead before taking the first set, 25-16.
The Lions began the second set winning seven consecutive points before the Cavs were able to cut the lead 12-7. Emmanuel College continued to dominate the set as they took a late 20-10 lead over the Cavaliers. The Lions won the second set by a score of 25-15. Down early, the Cavs attempted to come back from a 14-6 deficit in the third set as the team took a timeout. Emmanuel proved too strong for the Cavs as the Lions earned a 25-16 victory to win the match.
Sophomore Morgan Milligan registered 12 assists and six digs in the contest. Junior Eustaica Smith led the Cavaliers in kills with seven, followed by freshman Makayla Ledford who posted six kills against the Lions. Emmanuel College posted a .376 attack percentage behind 13 kills by Julie de Blanck and 37 assists by Stephanie Hardy.
In the second match of the day, the Cavaliers faced a tough opponent in North Greenville University. UVa-Wise was outlasted, 3-0 (25-6, 25-19, 27-25), by the Crusaders in the Cavaliers final match of the day. UVa-Wise struggled in the first set only registering two kills and 11 attack errors as the Crusaders overpowered the Cavaliers, 25-6, to take the first set. The Cavs managed to come back from an early deficit in the second set to tie the game, 11-11. The Crusaders kept the momentum throughout the set as they extended the lead, 22-17, forcing the Cavaliers to take a timeout. North Greenville prevailed as the Crusaders won the set by a score of 25-19.
UVa-Wise continued to battle into the third set, taking an 18-15 lead before a North Greenville timeout. The Crusaders managed to come from behind to regain the lead, but the Cavs continued to rally, tying the set again, 25-25. North Greenville would win the last two points of the third set as the Cavs narrowly fell to the Crusaders, 27-25, in a close set. UVa-Wise registered 14 kills and only three errors in the final set alongside a .306 attack percentage.
Ledford and Milligan both led the Cavaliers with 13 assists each. Junior Ciara Kain posted a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs in the match. North Greenville's Eaden Shockley tallied 30 assists in the Crusaders' win.
Kristen Salyer's team will return home for two conference matchups next weekend as the Cavaliers take on Urbana University on Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. and Notre Dame College on Oct. 14 at 1 p.m.
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