SAINT LEO, FL – The Highland Cavalier volleyball team went 1-1 on the first day of the Lions Fall Volleyball Classic, defeating Saint Michael's 3-0 and falling to Valdosta State 0-3 in their final match of the day.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Match One: UVA Wise 3, Saint Michael's 0
Final Match Two: Valdosta State 3, UVA Wise 0
Records: UVA Wise (4-2); Saint Michael's (2-2*) Valdosta State (4-2) *-yet to play their final match of the day vs. Saint Leo.
Location: Saint Leo, FL | Marion Bowman Activities Center
VS. SAINT MICHAEL'S
- UVA Wise started off strongly as they rolled out to the 12-4 lead. The Purple Knights would cut the lead to four two times before an attack error by SMC and back to back aces by
Abigail Curtis sparked a 6-1 run to close out the set by a 25-16 margin.
- SMC took an early 3-2 lead before an ace from
Cassidy Farley started a 10-1 run by the Cavs. UVA Wise led by as much as 12 points before the Purple Knights chipped away at the lead but it was too little, too late as the Cavs took the second set 25-15.
- The Purple Knights made some adjustments between sets and shot out to a 6-3 lead before the Cavs made some adjustments of their own and took advantage of long side outs by
Kaylee Scarce,
Serina Petersen and
Lily Gutierrez to take a 15-10 lead, forcing a SMC timeout. UVA Wise kept up the pressure and sealed the win with a six-point side out by
Piper Suddeth topped of by Scarce's ninth kill to claim the 25-13 victory and take the match.
- Scarce flirted with her first double-double of the season as she had nine kills, nine digs, and two aces. Brandon had five kills on .308 hitting while
Morgan Blevins also chipped in five kills. Curtis had nine digs, six assists and four aces while Suddeth also flirted with a double-double as she had nine kills and eight digs. Gutierrez led the team with 10 assists.
- Nora Schulze led the Purple Knights with nine kills and four digs. Dana Welch chipped in seven kills, and Kyla Farnan led all players with 11 digs. Alexandra Báez Rentas nearly had a double-double with 11 assists and eight digs.
VS. VALDOSTA STATE
- VSU took the early lead, only to see the Cavs tie the set at 4-4. That was a pattern for the entire set, as the Blazers would take a small lead only to see the Cavs tie it up. UVA Wise tied the match at 17-17 and 22-22 but VSU would rally each time, eventually claiming the 25-22 win.
- UVA Wise came out on fire in the second set, taking advantage of several Blazer miscues to take a 13-5 lead. VSU took advantage of several miscues to cut the lead to 18-17 and later tied the match at 21-21. The teams would trade points for the next few rallies before the Blazers escaped with a 27-25 victory.
- The teams tied the match at 5-5 to open the third set, but the Blazers then rolled out to a 15-9 lead. The Cavs then scored three straight points only to see VSU answer back and take the 17-12 lead, forcing a timeout. Following the timeout, UVA Wise put together a 7-2 run to tie the set at 19-19. The Blazers would rally and hold on for the 25-21 win and take the match 3-0.
- Brandon led the Cavs with a season-high 12 kills from .375 hitting. Scarce had nine kills and 10 digs. Suddeth chipped in 14 assists and eight digs, Curtis five assists and nine digs, and Gutierrez dished out ten assists. The loss spoiled a solid defensive outing by
Dannah Persinger (seven blocks) and
Cassidy Farley (six blocks).
- VSU was led by Christina Pettigrew's 13 kills. Jojo Smith chipped in 11 kills and eight digs, and Katie Callenberger added in 10 kills. Aufrey Bennett had a double-double of 32 assists and 11 digs. Kaia Baker had a match-high 20 digs, while Avery Mullins had 12.
GETTING WISE
- Scarce now has 63 kills and 57digs on the season. Petersen is second with 29 kills and Farley is next with 25.
- Suddeth leads the team in assists with 85
- Curtis leads the team defensively with 92 digs as well as 26 assists.
- Farley has 15 blocks on the season and 255 total blocks for her career. She passed Stacey Ringhoffer (2003-07) to move to sixth in the career standings in the match against VSU and needs 27 to pass fifth place holder Santana Bishop and also set a new Division II-era record for career blocks.
- As a team the Cavs are hitting .159 with an average of 11.68 kills a set. They are also averaging 11.00 assists and 17.26 digs per set.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise will close out play in the tournament Saturday as they face St. Edwards at 9:00 a.m. and Saint Leo at 1:00 p.m.
