Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan challenged the Emmanuel Lions in a four set battle that ended in a 3-1 Lions' victory.
The Warriors picked up 45 kills in the loss to the Lions. Gracie Wilson led the Warriors with 11 kills. Karson Haley followed with 10. Of the 41 assists, Amiyah Spann had 20. Spann went on to have two aces. The other aces came from Kristina Pino, Micheala Andress and Sarah Mitchell.
Southern Wesleyan totaled 80 digs in the match with Micheala Andress leading the team with 18. Faith Paxton (14), Amiyah Spann (12) and Angel Jimenez (12) also recorded double digits in digs. The Warriors accumulated 18 blocks with both Megan Gilliland and Trinity Gibson having four. Gracie Wilson and Sarah Mitchell each had three blocks.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Emmanuel 25, Southern Wesleyan 23
Set Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 27, Emmanuel 25
Set Three Final: Emmanuel 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Set Four Final: Emmanuel 25, Southern Wesleyan 19
Records: Southern Wesleyan (6-7 / CC 3-4) Emmanuel (12-6 / CC 9-0)
How It Happened
Set One
A service error by the Lions gave Southern Wesleyan the first point of the match. However, a kill by Alaina Emminger and a block by Ellie Jackson allowed Emmanuel to quickly regain the lead. Southern Wesleyan tied the set up at five off kills by Gracie Wilson and Micheala Andress. The Lions edged back ahead, but a block by Wilson and Karson Haley tied the set up again. Southern Wesleyan went on a five point run led by a kill by Gracie Wilson to give them a 14-11 point lead. Emmanuel countered, but a block by Trinity Gibson allowed the Warriors to maintain their five point lead. The Lions would not go down quickly as kills by Jocelyn Martin and then an ace by Sami Gambill tied the set up once again. Emmanuel pushed on to take the first set 25-23.
Set Two
The Lions took the first point of set two off a kill by Ellie Jackson. However, Gracie Wilson blocked the Lions next attack on the net to prevent them from extending their lead. Trinity Gibson blocked another attack by Emmanuel to allow Southern Wesleyan to take the lead. Megan Gilliland collected a set by Katie Fulton and drilled it to the ground to extend Southern Wesleyan's lead. The Lions countered with a kill by Jocelyn Martin. The Warriors were not done as they went on a six point run led by aces by Amiyah Spann to put them on top 11-5. Emmanuel challenged right back as kills by Ellie Jackson and Alaina Emminger tied the set up once again. Layla Bland laid down a kill and then Cailin Pritchard and Bland blocked another Warrior attack to give Emmanuel the advantage. Southern Wesleyan fought back as Micheala Andress and Trinity Gibson went up for an assisted block. They continued to challenge with kills by Angel Jimenez and Karson Haley. Andress laid down an ace to allow the Warriors to tie the second set up 22-22. Southern Wesleyan would not relent as Megan Gilliland and Gracie Wilson blocked an attack by Ellie Jackson to give the Warriors a 27-25 second set victory.
Set Three
Angel Jimenez laid down a kill to give Southern Wesleyan the first point of the third set of the match. However, the Lions countered with a kill of their own out of the hands of Ellie Jackson to tie the set up. Megan Gilliland and Trinity Gibson blocked the next attack by Layla Bland, but it would not stop the Lions as they went on a four point run to give them a 5-3 point advantage. Kills by Gilliland and Karson Haley allowed the Warriors to tie the set up. The tie was short lived as kills by Alaina Emminger and Ellie Jackson put the Lions ahead by three. Emmanuel went on a seven point run before Southern Wesleyan was able to score again off a service error and a block by Mikaylah Hutton. Karson Haley, Gracie Wilson and Hutton went up for a sequence of kills, but a kill by Emily Hanson forced the match point. The Warriors would not go down quietly as Micheala Andress, Sarah Mitchell and Megan Gilliland each laid down kills to put Southern Wesleyan back within four. However, the Lions claimed the third set off a kill by Emily Hanson.
Set Four
Emmanuel charged out of the gate in set four as kills by Emily Hanson and Layla Bland gave them a 5-0 point lead before a kill by Gracie Wilson put Southern Wesleyan on the board. The Warriors continued to fight as Megan Gilliland and Sarah Mitchell went up for a block. The Lions remained in control as kills by Cailin Pritchard and Layla Bland extended their lead to 9-4. The Warriors fought back as they cut the Lions lead down to three off kills by Micheala Andress and Karson Haley. Gracie Wilson drilled the ball down off a pass from Amiyah Spann to tie the fourth set up at eleven. The Lions regained the lead moments later as Emily Hanson put down another kill for Emmanuel. The Lions distanced themselves further off more kills by Ellie Jackson. Despite another kill off the hands of Haley, Emmanuel claimed the final set in a 25-19 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will enter series of seven games on the road beginning on October 17. On October 17, they travel to Charlotte, NC to take on the Lees-McRae Bobcats at the Charlotte Country Day School at 7pm. They will then travel to Mount Olive, NC on October 19 as take on the University of Mount Olive Trojans. The Warriors will then go down the road to Due West, SC to take on the Erskine Flying Fleet on October 23.
