Due West, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Erskine Flying Fleet on Friday evening in a 3-1 final score.
The Warriors totaled 45 kills in the loss to the Flying Fleet. Emily Ellis, Gracie Wilson and Michaela Andress each picked up 10 kills. Both Ashley Sexton and Hannah Wilson had 20 assists. Andress went on to lead the team with two aces. Southern Wesleyan had two blocks off the hands of Ellie Moore and Gracie Wilson. The Warriors picked up 47 digs with Faith Paxton leading the team with 12. She was followed by Andress with 10.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Erskine 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
Set Two Final: Erskine 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
Set Three Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Erskine 18
Set Four Final: Erskine 25, Southern Wesleyan 22
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-6 / CC 0-1) Erskine (1-8 / CC 1-0)
How It Happened
Set One
The Warriors took the first point of the set as Ashley Sexton passed the ball over to Gracie Wilson for a kill. The Flying Fleet countered to tie the set up on a kill by Rebecca Yohe. Emily Ellis killed the ball to keep the first set tied up. Erskine pushed on with more kills by Ryleigh Taylor. Southern Wesleyan stayed within four points of Erskine on kills by Trinity Eichman and Michaela Andress. Faith Paxton served the ball for an ace to allow the Warriors to come to 16-13 behind the Flying Fleet. The Warriors fought back with an ace by Ashley Sexton to tie the set up. However, the Flying Fleet pushed on to take the first set in a 25-21 final score.
Set Two
Erskine struck first in the second set as Rebecca Yohe laid down a kill. However, a kill by Michaela Andress and attack errors by the Flying Fleet allowed the Warriors to take a 3-1 point lead. A kill by Emily Ellis kept the Warriors on top by two. The Flying Fleet challenged as kills by Brianna Beyerle and Ryleigh Taylor allowed them to come within one point of the Warriors. Southern Wesleyan push on with kills by Andress and Gracie Wilson. Erskine challenged Southern Wesleyan to tie the set up. The Flying Fleet took the lead on a kill by Kimmy Stiltner, but the Warriors fought back as kills by Gracie Wilson, Emily Ellis and Trinity Eichman put Southern Wesleyan behind Erskine 23-21. Erskine took the second set in a 25-21 final.
Set Three
The Flying Fleet took the first point in the third set off a kill by Kimmy Stiltner, however a kill by Michaela Andress allowed the Warriors to tie the set up. Gracie Wilson blocked a Flying Fleet attack to put the Warriors on top. However, Erskine fought back to take a 4-3 point lead on a kill by Ryleigh Taylor. Andress collected a pass from Hannah Wilson and put down a kill to keep the Warriors within two. A kill by Gracie Wilson tied the set up, and then the Warriors took the lead on a kill by Ellie Moore. The Warriors would not relent as kills by Gracie Wilson and Ellie Moore along with service aces by Michaela Andress allowed the Warriors to take the third set in a 25-18 final score.
Set Four
An attack error by the Flying Fleet allowed the Warriors to take the first point, but a kill by Kimmy Stiltner tied the set up. Michaela Andress killed the ball to keep the set tied up. Erskine pushed ahead with an ace by Meghan DeWalt. Emily Ellis tied the set back up on an ace. Rebecca Yohe put down a kill to keep the Flying Fleet on top, but the Warriors countered with a kill out of the hands of Gracie Wilson. Back-to-back kills by Trinity Eichman and Ellis allowed the Warriors stay within one point of the Flying Fleet. Gavrielle Elswick killed the ball to keep Southern Wesleyan within one point of Erskine, and then a kill by Ellie Moore tied the set up at nineteen points apiece. Kills by Wilson and Ellis kept the set tied up. However, Erskine took the final set in a 25-22 final.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on September 20 as they travel to Young Harris, GA to take on the Young Harris Mountain Lions at 7 pm. The Warriors will host their first match of the season on September 22 as they welcome the Francis Marion Patriots to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium for a 6pm first serve. They will remain at home on September 23 as they host the UNC Pembroke Braves.
