CENTRAL, S.C. – Southern Wesleyan was slow out of the gate but picked up steam to roll past Columbia College (S.C.) 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-10) on Wednesday night in volleyball action.

The Warriors (6-4) lost the first four points of the match to the Fighting Koalas (0-6), but SWU responded with five straight points of their own.  The first set ebbed and flowed back and forth before a six-point run turned a 14-11 deficit into a 17-14 lead for SWU.  Only one point during that run was scored on offensive for SWU – Hayley Hoover with a kill – the other five came on Columbia errors.

In the second set the Warriors again turned a close match into a decisive win, scoring five straight points to bust open an 11-8 set into a 16-8 runaway.  The Warriors scored 14 of the final 18 points in the set.  The momentum gained from the outset turned into a resounding win in the third set as SWU scored 11 straight points to take a demanding 12-1 lead.  They would also have a seven-point run in the set.

For the match the Warriors hit a robust .410, including a .591 mark in the third and a .480 clip in the second set.  Columbia hit only .024 for the match and negative .087 in the third.  Jacinta Hoffpauir led the Warriors with 13 kills on 18 attempts with zero errors.  She finished the match with a .722 attack percentage. 

The Warriors took advantage of several over passes by Columbia sending the ball back down to the other side with a thundering kill.  The leading attack for the Warriors on that front was Courtney Williams.  Williams finished the match with seven kills on 17 attempts.  Cherilyn Ramsey and Hayley Hoover each had eight kills and only one error in the match.  Megan Widener tallied 30 assists and 10 digs to lead the team.  It was her fourth double-double of the season.

SWU hits the road again this weekend as they head to Montgomery, Ala. to take part in the Faulkner University Invitational.  The Warriors will play Southeastern, No. 19 Lindsey Wilson, Freed-Hardeman and Warner University.  They don't return home until September 20th as they host Martin Methodist in SSAC action.