Tigerville, SC – Southern Wesleyan split their final two matches in the Beat the Beam tournament on Saturday.  They defeated the Johnson C Smith Golden Bulls in a 3-1 final to start off the day before dropping their second match to the UVA-Wise Cavaliers in a 3-0 final.

Southern Wesleyan recorded 45 kills in their first win of the 2021 season.  Emily Ellis led the team with 12 kills.  She was followed by Ashlyn Holford with 11 and Amber Bass with eight.  Cara Martin had 18 assists with Ashley Sexton following with 13.  Jarena Byers recorded five of the 15 aces the Warriors delivered, with both Bass and Martin following with four.  Southern Wesleyan collected three blocks during the victory.

The Warriors recorded 27 kills in the loss to the UVA-Wise Cavaliers.  Amber Bass led the Warriors with nine, while Emily Ellis followed with eight.  Of the 25 assists the Warriors had, Ashley Sexton had 12 with Kali Letcher following with eight.  Southern Wesleyan had 11 blocks with Ashlyn Holford leading the team with nine.  Ellis had 15 digs during the game. 
 


Match Vitals
Match One: Southern Wesleyan 3, Johnson C Smith 1
                Set One: JCSU 25, SWU 16
                Set Two: SWU 29, JCSU 27
                Set Three: SWU 31, JCSU 29
                Set Four: SWU 25, JCSU 23
 
Match Two: UVA-Wise 3, Southern Wesleyan 0
                Set One: UVA-Wise 25, SWU 19
                Set Two: UVA-Wise 25, SWU 16
                Set Three: UVA-Wise 25, SWU 21
 
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-3) Johnson C Smith (0-3) UVA Wise (2-4)
 

 
Coach Reininga says…

"I'm really proud of the team, they competed hard and showed grit this weekend.  We know what we need to work on and we are looking forward to our first conference match."
 

 
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan vs Johnson C Smith
Set One
Johnson C Smith took the first two points of the first set before a kill by Jesse Soles allowed the Warriors to get on the board.  The Golden Bulls continued to stay on the offensive, but the Warriors countered with a kill by Amber Bass.  Kills by Meqkylih Smith and Elyse Bonnett allowed the Golden Bulls to maintain the lead.  Southern Wesleyan countered with kills of their own off the hands of Bass and Ashlyn Holford, but the Golden Bulls took the first set in a 25-16 final.

Set Two
A service ace by Cara Martin put the Warriors on top first in the second set of the match, however a kill by Daivez Bell allowed the Golden Bulls to take the lead.  The Warriors came within one on kills by Amber Bass and Emily Ellis.  Southern Wesleyan maintained the intensity with kills by Jesse Soles and Ellis.  However, Johnson C Smith fought back with kills by Meqkylih Smith and Daivez Bell, but Southern Wesleyan did not back down as Ashlyn Holford put down a kill and Bass get in a service ace.  The two teams battled back-and-forth before a kill by Ellis allowed the Warriors to take the second set 29-27.

Set Three
Southern Wesleyan got the first point off an error by the Golden Bulls, but Johnson C Smith countered with a kill from Elyse Bonnett to tie the set up.  However, back-to-back kills by Ashlyn Holford and Jesse Soles allowed the Warriors to take a 3-1 point advantage.  Johnson C Smith regained the lead, but a kill by Ashley Sexton and some errors by the Golden Bulls allowed the Warriors to tie the match back up.  The Warriors took the lead off a second kill by Sexton and then an ace by Emily Ellis put Southern Wesleyan on top 10-8.  Back-to-back service aces by Cara Martin allowed the Warriors to push their lead to 14-9.  Johnson C Smith countered with a kill by Daivez Bell.  The Golden Bulls scored four consecutive kills to put them ahead 19-18, but a kill by Holford allowed the Warriors to tie the third set back up.  Johnson C Smith pushed ahead, but a kill by Amber Bass kept the Warriors within one.  The Warriors tied up the match 29-29 on a kill by Emily Ellis, and then an assisted block by Amber Bass and Riley Young put the Warriors ahead by one.  Southern Wesleyan went on to win the third set 31-29 off a kill by Young.

Set Four
Cara Martin gave the Warriors a 3-0 point lead in the fourth match off an ace, but the Golden Bulls countered with a kill by Meqkylih Smith to come within two.  However, a kill by Amber Bass allowed the Warriors to maintain a three-point lead.  Johnson C Smith continued to challenge, but kills by Martin and Ashlyn Holford put Southern Wesleyan's lead at 6-2.  Southern Wesleyan continued to push ahead with aces by Amber Bass.  The Golden Bulls countered with an ace of their own, but kills by Holford allowed the Warriors to maintain their lead.  The Warriors kept up the intensity with a kill from Amber Bass.  Johnson C Smith tied the match up 23-23, but a kill by Bass allowed the Warriors to take the lead.  Southern Wesleyan went on to win the final set in a 25-23 final.
 
Southern Wesleyan vs UVA-Wise
Set One
The UVA-Wise Cavaliers took the first points of the first set, however a kill by Riley Young allowed the Warriors to tie it up 1-1.  The Cavaliers pushed ahead, but blocks by Ashlyn Holford and Amber Bass kept the Warriors within striking distance.  The Warriors continued to challenge the Cavaliers with kills by Holford and Kristina Pino.  Southern Wesleyan went on a five-point run as Emily Ellis and Kailey Demorest put down kills for the Warriors.  Despite an ace by Ashley Sexton, UVA-Wise went on to win the first set 25-19.

Set Two
Southern Wesleyan took the first point of the second set off a kill by Amber Bass, but UVA Wise countered with a kill by Kelsey Green.  The Cavaliers continued to push ahead, but the Warriors countered with kills by Bass.  Kills by Emily Ellis, Ashlyn Holford and Bass allowed the Warriors to keep it close, but the Cavaliers continued to distance themselves with kills by Cassidy Farley.  UVA Wise went on to win the second set 25-16.

Set Three
Southern Wesleyan charged out of the gates in the third set as Amber Bass delivered a kill to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.  UVA-Wise countered with kills by Addison Minor and Rylee Waye.  The Cavaliers pushed ahead, but kills by Riley Young and Bass put the Warriors within striking distance.  Southern Wesleyan continued to chip away at UVA-Wise's lead as Ashlyn Holford, Bass and Jesse Soles blocked the ball.  Despite a late kill by Bass, the Cavaliers went on to win the final set 25-21.
 


What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will host their first game of the season on September 24 as they kick-off Conference Carolinas play and welcome the North Greenville Crusaders to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. match.  They will then travel to Banner Elk, NC on September 28 to take on the Lees-McRae Bobcats at 7 p.m.  The Warriors will then return home on October 1 to play the Converse Valkyries.