Milledgeville, GA – Southern Wesleyan dropped both of their matches against West Virginia State and Georgia College in 3-0 final scores on Saturday.

In the first match of the afternoon, the Warriors collected 29 kills with both Amber Bass and Emily Ellis leading the team with seven kills apiece.  Ashley Sexton recorded 14 assists.  Both Kristina Pino and Amber Bass landed service aces.  Southern Wesleyan had six blocks in the loss with both Gavirelle Elswick and Abigail Gannaio each having two assisted blocks.  The Warriors collected a total of 47 digs in the match.  Amber Bass led the team with 12 digs with libero Kristina Pino following with 11 digs.

Southern Wesleyan recorded 25 kills in the second match of the afternoon.  Amber Bass led the team with nine kills with Abigail Gannaio following with seven.  Kali Letcher led the Warriors with nine assists with Ashley Sexton following with eight.  The Warriors had five aces in the second match of the day with Kristina Pino leading the team with three.  Riley Young led the team with three blocks.  Southern Wesleyan had 38 digs on the afternoon with both Bass and Pino posting 11.
 


Match Vitals
Southern Wesleyan vs West Virginia State
Final: West Virginia State 3, Southern Wesleyan 0
                Set One: West Virginia State 25, Southern Wesleyan 17
                Set Two: West Virginia State 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
                Set Three: West Virginia State 25, Southern Wesleyan 22
Records Southern Wesleyan (0-2) West Virginia State (2-0)
 
Southern Wesleyan vs Georgia College
Final: Georgia College 3, Southern Wesleyan 0
                Set One: Georgia College 25, Southern Wesleyan 19
                Set Two: Georgia College 25, Southern Wesleyan 14
                Set Three: Georgia College 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-3) Georgia College (1-2)
 
 

How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan vs West Virginia State
Set One
West Virginia State took the first point of the match on a kill by Kiersten Eggleton.  However, the Warriors maintained the pressure with a kill by Amber Bass to keep the Warriors within one.  The Yellow Jackets distanced themselves from the Warriors with kills by Eggleton and Grace Martin.  The Warriors pushed back with kills by Emily Ellis and Amber Bass, but West Virginia State took the first set 25-17.
 
Set Two
The Yellow Jackets started strong with a kill by Kiersten Eggleton, but a kill by Emily Ellis allowed the Warriors to tie the set right back up 1-1.  West Virginia State continued to push ahead with several more kills before an attack error allowed the Warriors to get their second point of the set.  Southern Wesleyan continued to put up a fight as Amber Bass put down a kill to put the Warriors down 5-4.  An assisted block by Abigail Gannaio and Riley Young allowed the Warriors to tie the set up at seven points apiece.  Attack errors by the Yellow Jackets allowed the Warriors to take a three point lead, but West Virginia State would not relent as kills by Natalie Beer and Grace Martin put them on top 12-10.  The Yellow Jackets regained their five point lead on a service ace by Grace Martin.  Back-to-back kills by Riley Young and Amber Bass put the Warriors down 21-15.  The Warriors continued to chip away as kills by Gavirelle Elswick and Emily Ellis allowed the Warriors to come back to within three points of the Yellow Jackets.  However, a kill by Natalie Beer allowed West Virginia State to take the second set 25-21.
 
Set Three
The Warriors took the first point of the third set on a kill by Emily Ellis.  Southern Wesleyan continued to push ahead as both Gavirelle Elswick and Ellis delivered kills to give them a five point advantage.  Kristina Pino put down an ace to extend the Warriors lead to 9-2.  The Yellow Jackets fought back to within three points, but a kill by Riley Young allowed the Warriors to take a 10-6 point lead.  The Warriors continued to push ahead as Trinity Eichman and Elswick each collected kills.  West Virginia State challenged right back with several kills by Diamond'Nique Young to put them within two of Southern Wesleyan.  The Yellow Jackets tied the match up on a kill by Bethany Ledford, but a kill by Gavirelle Elswick allowed the Warriors to regain the lead.  The Yellow Jackets took the lead, but a kill by Trinity Eichman kept the Warriors within one of West Virginia State.  The Yellow Jackets went on to win the final set 25-22.
 
 
Southern Wesleyan vs Georgia College
Set One
The Bobcats took the first points of the match as an ace by Emily Long and kills by Brooke Roberts gave Georgia College a 3-0 lead.  A kill by Amber Bass allowed the Warriors to come to within two of Georgia College.  A series of blocks by Trinity Eichman, Riley Young and Abigail Gannaio allowed the Warriors to take a 7-6 point lead.  The Bobcats would not relent as they regained the lead on kills by Ally Hall, Camryn Carlton and Brooke Roberts.  Southern Wesleyan came to within four on kills by Emily Ellis and Gavirelle Elswick.  However, the Bobcats took the first set in a 25-19 final.
 
Set Two
Georgia College kicked off the second set with back-to-back kills by Brooke Roberts and Kyeli Hazzard.  Southern Wesleyan countered as a kill by Amber Bass and an ace by Kristina Pino allowed the Warriors to take a 4-3 point lead.  The Warriors continued to challenge the Bobcats as blocks by Riley Young and Bass allowed Southern Wesleyan to maintain the lead.  Georgia College would not relent as they regained the lead on a kill by Mary Kate Kotzin.  Abigail Gannaio put down back-to-back kills to put the Warriors down 20-11.  Georgia College went on to win the second set 25-14.
 
Set Three
The Warriors took the first point of the final set as Emily Ellis laid down a kill, however, the Bobcats countered as a kill by Ally Hall allowed Georgia College to tie the set up.  An ace by Hall allowed the Bobcats to take the lead.  Southern Wesleyan countered with kills by Amber Bass and Riley Young to put them within two points.  The Warriors continued to challenge the Bobcats as kills by Gavirelle Elswick and Amber Bass allowed Southern Wesleyan to tie the set up at fourteen points apiece.  Trinity Eichman and Abigail Gannaio each laid down kills to give the Warriors a two point advantage.  Georgia College fought back as an ace by Mary Kate Kotzin allowed the Bobcats to regain the lead.  The Bobcats went on to win the final set in a 25-20 final score.
 

 
What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will next travel to Newberry, SC on September 2 and 3 to take part in the Newberry College Volleyball Invitational.  The Warriors will face both West Alabama and Valdosta State on September 2, and then will face West Alabama and Newberry on September 3.  Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on September 6 as they travel to Augusta, GA to take on Paine College.  They will then host their home and Conference Carolinas opener on September 14 as they welcome the North Greenville Crusaders to Central, SC.