Tigerville, SC – Southern Wesleyan dropped their season opener to the North Greenville Crusaders on Friday evening in a 3-0 final.

The Warriors posted 31 kills during the loss to the Crusaders with Ashlyn Holford leading the team with nine.  Holford was followed by Olivia Johnson and Danairi Malave with six apiece.  Kali Letcher led the team with 13 assists.  Letcher was followed by Ashley Sexton with nine.  Sexton had two of the six service aces.  Malave led the team with four of the 10 blocks.
 

Match Vitals

Set One: North Greenville 25, Southern Wesleyan 22

Set Two: North Greenville 25, Southern Wesleyan 22

Set Three: North Greenville 25, Southern Wesleyan 15

Final: North Greenville 3, Southern Wesleyan 0

Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-1 / CC 0-1) North Greenville (1-0 / CC 1-0)


 
How It Happened

Set One
Southern Wesleyan took the first point of the first set on an assisted block by Olivia Johnson and Danairi Malave, however North Greenville tied it up 1-1 on a kill by Erin Allen.  The Warriors continued to challenge with kills by Riley Young and Ashlyn Holford to put them ahead 3-2.  Southern Wesleyan pushed ahead, but North Greenville's Erin Allen put down some kills to put the Crusaders back on top.  However, the Warriors continued the attack with kills by Ashley Sexton and Danairi Malave.  Despite kills by Johnson and Holford, and a service ace by Sexton, the Warriors fell to the Crusaders 25-22 in the first set of the evening.
 
Set Two
North Greenville took the first point of the second set as Catherine Lant put down a kill, however the Warriors countered with a kill of their own by Kali Letcher on the next play to tie the set 1-1.  The Crusaders pushed ahead to take a 3-1 point advantage.  A kill by Ashlyn Holford kept the Warriors within one.  Jesse Soles delivered a kill and Holford got the ball down for an ace to keep Southern Wesleyan within striking distance to North Greenville.  The Warriors continued to challenge with kills by Soles, Olivia Johnson and Danairi Malave, but the Crusaders went on to win the second set 25-22.
 
Set Three
North Greenville went on a six point run early on in the third set, however a kill by Riley Young put the Warriors on the board.  The Crusaders continued to distance themselves in the final set of the evening.  The Warriors continued to fight back with kills by Ashlyn Holford and Danairi Malave, and an ace by Jesse Soles.  Despite a late ace by Olivia Johnson, the Warriors dropped the final set 25-15


 
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will host their first match in Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on March 5 as they welcome the Erskine Flying Fleet to the court at 7 p.m.  They will remain at home on March 6 as they take on the Emmanuel Lions at 2 p.m.