Due West, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in a hard fought battle against the Erskine Flying Fleet on Friday evening.
The Warriors picked up 49 kills during the match. Kaylon Chapman led the team with 12 kills. She was followed by Karson Haley with 10. Katie Fulton led the team with 25 of the 45 assists. Southern Wesleyan recorded six service aces during the match.
Southern Wesleyan accumulated 93 digs with Calie Covey leading the team with 28. Katie Fulton (17) and Michaela Andress (12) also posted double digits in digs. Sarah Mitchell and Briley Wolff both blocked four attacks by the Flying Fleet.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Southern Wesleyan 26, Erskine 24
Set Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Erskine 17
Set Three Final: Erskine 25, Southern Wesleyan 18
Set Four Final: Erskine 25, Southern Wesleyan 19
Set Five Final: Erskine 18, Southern Wesleyan 16
Records: Southern Wesleyan (6-7 / CC 4-5) Erskine (4-13 / CC 3-7)
How It Happened
Set One
The Warriors took the first point of the set as a service error by the Flying Fleet allowed them to get on the board. Ainsley Stovall followed with a kill off of a set by Katie Fulton to extend the Warriors lead. Erskine fought back, but Briley Wolff got in a kill to keep Southern Wesleyan on top. Amiyah Spann dumped the ball over the net to allow the Warriors to maintain the lead. Kills by Michaela Andress and Stovall allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to 14-10. However, Erskine blocked another attack by Stovall to allow the Flying Fleet to take the lead. Southern Wesleyan was not done as attack errors by Erskine allowed the Warriors to claim the first set in a 26-24 final.
Set Two
Once again the Warriors were able to take the first points of the set as Michaela Andress got the ball past the Flying Fleet for a kill. However, kills by Ella Dietrich and Becca Yohe allowed Erskine to take the lead. Katie Fulton set the ball up to Kaylon Chapman, who delivered a kill to tie the set up 5-5. Yohe went on the attack once again, but Ellie Moore and Sarah Mitchell got up to block her attack. Back-to-back kills by Chapman allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to five. Erskine continued to challenge, but the Warriors were there as Chapman and Mitchell blocked another attack. Dietrich was able to land a couple more kills, but the Warriors answered right back as Karson Haley, Fulton and Moore each got in kills. Southern Wesleyan went on to claim the second set in a 25-17 final.
Set Three
Ellie Moore got in a kill early in the third set to give the Warriors the advantage. Erskine blocked the next attack by Briley Wolff to get on the board. A kill by Becca Yohe allowed the Flying Fleet to tie the set up. Several attack errors by the Warriors and a kill by Ella Dietrich allowed Erskine to take the lead. Erskine pressed on as Dietrich served up an ace. Michaela Andress got in a couple kills, but the Flying Fleet would not relent their attacks on the net as Kerri O'Shields and Kimmy Stiltner each collected kills. Despite a couple more kills by Andress and Moore, the Flying Fleet took the third set in a 25-18 final score.
Set Four
The Flying Fleet were the first on the board in the fourth set of the evening as Kerri O'Shields got in the first kill. Southern Wesleyan looked to answer, but Kimmy Stiltner and O'Shields were able to block Michaela Andress' attack on the net. The Warriors tied the set up on a kill by Kaylon Chapman. Erskine looked for the lead, but the Warriors answered their every attack. Ali Angell looked to extend the Flying Fleet's lead once again, but Briley Wolff and Andress got up to block her attack. Ella Dietrich served up a couple of aces for Erskine. Katie Fulton set the ball up to Chapman for another kill. However, Erskine would not relent as another ace by Dietrich allowed the Flying Fleet to push ahead to claim the fourth set in a 25-19 final.
Set Five
Southern Wesleyan went on the offensive early in the final set of the evening. Katie Fulton led off the set by serving up an ace. A couple kills by Karson Haley allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to 4-0. The Flying Fleet were able to block an attack by Kaylon Chapman to keep them within one point of the Warriors. However, Chapman and Sarah Mitchell blocked the next attack by Ali Angell to keep the Warriors ahead. Erskine rallied back as Becca Yohe was able to get the ball down for a kill. The set went back and fourth over the last few points, but Erskine was able to end up on top as a kill by Angell gave them an 18-16 point victory.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on October 11 as they host the University of Mount Olive Trojans at 2pm. They will then welcome the Emmanuel Lions to Central, SC on October 14 at 7pm. The Warriors will travel to Ferrum, VA to take on the Ferrum Panthers on October 17.
