Tigerville, SC – Southern Wesleyan took down the Young Harris Mountain Lions in a five set thriller in the first round of the Conference Carolinas Championship Tournament. However, they fell in the second match of the evening against the North Greenville Trailblazers in a 3-0 final to conclude their 2024 season.
The Warriors totaled 54 kills in the first match-up of the afternoon with Michaela Andress (15) and Angel Jimenez (14) each having double digits. Of the 48 assists, Amiyah Spann had 22 and Katie Fulton had 21. Southern Wesleyan picked up seven aces with Fulton recording two on her own. Both Sarah Mitchell and Megan Gilliland had three blocks. The Warriors totaled 103 digs in the match with Faith Paxton leading the team with 33. Both Jimenez and Andress had 24.
Southern Wesleyan picked up 33 kills in their second match of the evening with Michaela Andress recording 11 kills. Behind her, Gracie Wilson had eight kills. Amiyah Spann had 10 of the 30 assists of the match. Katie Fulton followed her with nine assists and Karson Haley had six. Andress and Kristina Pino served up the only two aces. Southern Wesleyan totaled nine blocks with Sarah Mitchell leading the team with four. Andress had 20 of the 58 digs in the match.
Match Vitals
Southern Wesleyan vs Young Harris
Set One Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Young Harris 19
Set Two Final: Young Harris 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Set Three Final: Young Harris 25, Southern Wesleyan 23
Set Four Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Young Harris 23
Set Five Final: Southern Wesleyan 15, Young Harris 12
Records: Southern Wesleyan (11-14 / CC 7-11) Young Harris (6-16 / CC 6-11)
Southern Wesleyan vs North Greenville
Set One Final: North Greenville 25, Southern Wesleyan 19
Set Two Final: North Greenville 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
Set Three Final: North Greenville 27, Southern Wesleyan 25
Records: Southern Wesleyan (11-15 / CC 7-11) North Greenville (18-13 / CC 14-4)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan vs Young Harris
Set One
The Mountain Lions jumped out early with a kill by Nicole Klucharich, but Southern Wesleyan answered with back-to-back kills by Angel Jimenez and Michaela Andress. The Warriors continued their attacks as a kill by Megan Gilliland jump started a six point run that allowed Southern Wesleyan to take an 8-2 point lead. Young Harris went on the attack, but Gilliland and Trinity Gibson blocked Lily Hidalgo's attack from landing. Andress and Jimenez put down a couple more kills before attacks by Shelby Mullins resulted in kills for the Mountain Lions. Katie Fulton set the ball up for Gilliland who drilled it down to the floor for a kill. However, attacks by Hidalgo allowed Young Harris to come to within four points of the Warriors. Southern Wesleyan pushed on as they claimed the first set 25-19.
Set Two
Young Harris took the early lead in the second set as Nicole Klucharich put down a kill. The Warriors were able to tie the set up off a kill by Michaela Andress. Southern Wesleyan pushed on as Andress put down a couple more kills, and then Karson Haley and Trinity Gibson blocked an attack by the Mountain Lions. Young Harris rallied as Lily Hidalgo laid down a kill. They continued to push ahead with kills by Shelby Mullins. Andress put down a kill off a pass from Katie Fulton to allow the Warriors to regain the lead. However, Shelby Mullins blocked an attack off the hands of Trinity Gibson to jump start a rally for the Mountain Lions that resulted in them taking a 20-15 point lead over Southern Wesleyan. Megan Gilliland put down a kill, but a kill off the hands of Sophie Bearden allowed Young Harris to take the second set in a 25-20 final score.
Set Three
Megan Gilliland and Gracie Wilson blocked an early attack in the third set by the Mountain Lions. Young Harris countered with back-to-back kills by Sophie Bearden and Nicole Klucharich. A kill off the hands of Michaela Andress allowed the Warriors to take the lead. It was short lived as Young Harris rallied off kills by Shelby Mullins and Lily Hidalgo to re-take the lead. Amiyah Spann set the ball up for Micheala Andress who put the ball down for a kill to tie the set up. Katie Fulton served up an ace on the next point to put the set back in the Warriors favor. Young Harris fought back with an ace of their own. Southern Wesleyan challenged right back, but a kill by Sophie Bearden gave the Mountain Lions a 25-23 point victory.
Set Four
Lily Hidalgo kicked off the fourth set with a kill, but the Warriors countered with a kill off the hands of Angel Jimenez. Kills by Megan Gilliland and Gracie Wilson allowed the Warriors to tie the set up at five. The Warriors pushed on with kills by Karson Haley and Wilson, however, kills by Shelby Mullins and Hidalgo allowed the Mountain Lions to stay within two points. Sarah Mitchell and Haley blocked the next attack by Hidalgo. Southern Wesleyan took a nine point advantage as Faith Paxton set the ball up for Katie Fulton. Fulton then dumped the ball over the net for a kill. Young Harris would not go down easily as a kill by Shelby Mullins started a seven point rally for the Mountain Loins. However, Angel Jimenez got the ball past the defense for a kill to give the Warriors a 25-23 point victory in the fourth set.
Set Five
A kill by Angel Jimenez allowed the Warriors to take the first point of the fifth set. Young Harris challenged right back as kills by Nicole Klucharich and Sophie Bearden allowed them to take the lead. Southern Wesleyan fought back as Michaela Andress and Sarah Mitchell blocked an attack by Shelby Mullins. Back-to-back kills by Andress and Karson Haley put the Warriors on top 9-5. Haley laid down another kill and then Andress served up an ace to extend their lead to six. Abby Schirm put down a kill, but Southern Wesleyan would not back down as kills by Haley allowed the Warriors to claim the final set of the match in a 15-12 point final.
Southern Wesleyan vs North Greenville
Set One
North Greenville charged out of the gate as kills by Peyton Taylor and Nicole Santiago allowed the Trailblazers to gain an early 3-0 point advantage. Gracie Wilson collected a set by Katie Fulton and put it down for a kill to put the Warriors on the board. The Trailblazers continued to push ahead as Taylor served up a couple aces. Sarah Mitchell blocked another attack on the net by Taylor. The Warriors rallied as Michaela Andress served up an ace, but kills by Elena Dyer and Peyton Taylor allowed North Greenville to extend their lead to 14-7. Southern Wesleyan went on the attack once again, but Anna Fiddelke and Nicole Santiago denied Michaela Andress' attack from finding the floor. North Greenville went on to take the first set in a 25-19 final
Set Two
A kill by Anna Fiddelke jumped started a four point run for the Trailblazers early in the second set. The Warriors answered with kills by Michaela Andress and Gracie Wilson. Megan Gilliland put down a kill to kick-off a four point run for the Warriors that allowed Southern Wesleyan to stay within one point of North Greenville. Service errors by the Trailblazers allowed the Warriors to come to within four. Megan Gilliland and Katie Fulton each put down kills, but the Trailblazers countered with kills by Elena Dyer and Peyton Taylor. Southern Wesleyan would not back down as Karson Haley put down a kill to keep the Warriors within four points of the Trailblazers. Despite a last second kill by Gracie Wilson, the Trailblazers claimed a 25-21 point victory in set two.
Set Three
Micheala Andress quickly put down a kill in set three to put the Warriors on the board first. The Trailblazers answered on the next point as Peyton Taylor laid down a kill and then served up an ace to give North Greenville the advantage. Southern Wesleyan regained the lead as Andress and Sarah Mitchell put down back-to-back kills. Allison Ball set the ball up for Samantha Ball who delivered a kill to tie the third set up at five points apiece. North Greenville continued to thwart the Warriors attacks with blocks by Taya Knier and Elena Dyer. Gracie Wilson put down a kill for the Warriors. Southern Wesleyan continued to press as Wilson laid down another kill to keep Southern Wesleyan within three of North Greenville. Elena Dyer scored another point for the Trailblazers, but the Warriors battled back once more with a couple kills by Megan Gilliland and Michaela Andress. Kristina Pino served up an ace to tie the set up at twenty-three. Southern Wesleyan countered North Greenville's attack with an attack of their own by Michaela Andress. However, the rally was not enough as the Warriors fell in the final set to the Trailblazers in a 27-25 final.
