Young Harris, GA – Southern Wesleyan took down the Young Harris Mountain Lions on Wednesday evening in a five set thriller.
The Warriors totaled 53 kills during the mid-week contest. Both Ainsley Stovall and Kaylon Chapman recorded 12 kills during the match, while Megan Gilliland was right behind them with 11. Of the 49 assists in the match, setter Katie Fulton picked up 21. Amiyah Spann had 15 assists. Southern Wesleyan served up seven aces during the match. Both Spann and Briley Wolff had two aces.
Defensively, Southern Wesleyan accumulated 90 digs with four players posting double digits. Libero Calie Covey had 29 digs to lead the team. Amiyah Spann (18), Alexxis Wader (12) and Katie Fulton (10) also had double digits in the match. The Warriors had nine blocks with Briley Wolff leading the team with three. Karson Haley and Kaylon Chapman each had two blocks.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Young Harris 25, Southern Wesleyan 22
Set Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Young Harris 15
Set Three Final: Young Harris 25, Southern Wesleyan 16
Set Four Final: Southern Wesleyan 26, Young Harris 24
Set Five Final: Southern Wesleyan 15, Young Harris 7
Records: Southern Wesleyan (10-7 / CC 8-5) Young Harris (7-15 / CC 4-10)
How It Happened
Set One
A service error by the Mountain Lions allowed the Warriors to get on the board first in the opening set of the match. Young Harris countered as Alexa Berry blocked an attack by Ainsley Stovall and then laid down a kill. Stovall got her next attack on the net past the Mountain Lions to allow the Warriors to take the lead. Lexie Martin got in an ace to extend Young Harris' lead. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenge every attack by Young Harris. However, the Mountain Lions distanced themselves from the Warriors as Hannah Depp and Kathryn Urbanek got down a couple kills. Kaylon Chapman drilled the ball down for a kill to put the Warriors behind the Mountain Lions 12-7. Southern Wesleyan fought back as both Sarah Mitchell and Stovall got kills past the Mountain Lions. Briley Wolff served up back-to-back aces to put the Warriors within two of the Mountain Lions. However, Young Harris pressed on to take the first set in a 25-22 final score.
Set Two
Southern Wesleyan took the first couple points of the second set as Karson Haley got in a kill off a set by Amiyah Spann. Haley put down another kill and then Alexxis Wader served up an ace to give the Warriors a 4-1 point lead. Young Harris came to within two points of Southern Wesleyan on a kill by Lauren DeSilets. The Warriors answered as Karson Haley and Megan Gilliland put down back-to-back kills. Linsey Burke set the ball up to Kathryn Urbanek for a kill. However, a kill by Briley Wolff allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to 14-9. The Warriors continued to capitalize on their attacks as Wolff got in a couple more kills. Kaylon Chapman and Karson Haley each got in kills to give the Warriors a six point lead. Southern Wesleyan pressed ahead as they claimed the second set in a 25-15 final score.
Set Three
A bad set by Lyza Thigpen allowed the Warriors to get on the board first in the third set of the evening. However, Lauren DeSilets and Abby Schirm got in a couple kills to give the Mountain Lions a 4-1 point lead. Amiyah Spann set the ball up for Karson Haley. Haley slammed the ball down for a kill to keep the Warriors within three. However, Young Harris extended their lead to six as Abby Schirm got in several kills in a row. Megan Gilliland got in a kill, but the Mountain Lions pushed ahead as a kill by Amya Dryden gave them a ten point lead. Southern Wesleyan fought back as Briley Wolff and Kaylon Chapman got in a couple kills. Young Harris blocked another attack by Chapman to win the third set in a 25-16 final.
Set Four
Young Harris was first on the board in the fourth set, but the Warriors quickly tied the set up as Ellie Moore got in a kill. A kill by Ainsley Stovall allowed the Warriors to keep the set tied up. The Mountain Lions looked to go on the attack again, but Megan Gilliland got up to block their attack. Stovall and Kaylon Chapman got in a couple kills to extend the Warriors lead to 7-5. Rylee DeSimone looked to get in a kill, but Chapman got up to block her attack. The Mountain Lions answered as kills by Alexa Berry put them within three points of the Warriors. Katie Fulton set the ball up to Stovall who drilled the ball down to extend the Warriors lead to 15-12. Chapman blocked an attack by Rylee DeSimone to keep the Warriors on top by four. Young Harris fought back as a kill by Abby Schirm allowed the Mountain Lions to tie the fourth set up at nineteen. The Warriors answered as Gilliland got in a kill and then Chapman served up an ace to allow Southern Wesleyan to regain the lead. Southern Wesleyan would not relent as Alexxis Wader served up an ace to allow the Warriors to take the fourth set in a 26-24 final.
Set Five
Ainsley Stovall laid down a kill to kick off the final set for the Warriors. Young Harris answered on the next play as Abby Schirm got in a kill. Kills by Kaylon Chapman and Megan Gilliland allowed the Warriors to take a 4-1 point lead. The Mountain Lions fought back as Schirm got in two more kills to allow Young Harris to tie the set up at six points apiece. Calie Covey set the ball up on back-to-back occasions and each time Karson Haley drilled the ball down past the Mountain Lions defense for a kill. Hannah Depp went on the attack, but Haley was there to block her attack. An ace by Calie Covey allowed Southern Wesleyan to take an 11-6 point lead. The Warriors would not back down as Haley blocked another attack by the Mountain Lions and then Katie Fulton got in a kill. Southern Wesleyan went on to claim the final set in a 15-7 final score.
What's Next
The Warriors will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on October 24 as they welcome the Lees-McRae Bobcats for a 6pm start. They will then host the Barton Bulldogs on October 25. On October 31, the Warriors will welcome the Belmont Abbey Crusaders to Central, SC.
