Mars Hill, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Lions of Mars Hill on Friday evening in a 3-1 final score.
The Warriors had 46 kills in the loss to the Lions. Both Megan Gilliland and Kaylon Chapman had 11 kills in the match. Setters Katie Fulton and Amiyah Spann each had double digits in assists. Fulton picked up 17 while Spann was right on her heels with 13. Four different Warriors recorded service aces.
Defensively, the Warriors accumulated 95 digs in the match. Three Warriors posted double digits in digs with Libero Calie Covey leading the team with 28. She was followed by Katie Fulton with 20 and Micheala Andress with 17. Southern Wesleyan had 11 blocks during the match with Sarah Mitchell being apart of four of them. Megan Gilliland, Briley Wolff and Kaylon Chapman each had two blocks to their names.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Southern Wesleyan 25, Mars Hill 22
Set Two Final: Mars Hill 25, Southern Wesleyan 18
Set Three Final: Mars Hill 25, Southern Wesleyan 13
Set Four Final: Mars Hill 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Records: Southern Wesleyan (12-11 / CC 10-8) Mars Hill (10-11 / CC 6-9)
How It Happened
Set One
Southern Wesleyan charged out of the gate in the opening set as Kaylon Chapman and Sarah Mitchell got up to block an attack by Brooke Hoffman. Chapman and Megan Gilliland drilled the ball past the Lions to extend the Warriors lead to 5-1. Mars Hill answered as Megan Lee Prezio and Angel Jimenez got in some kills to put them back within three points of the Warriors. However, the Warriors would not back down as Karson Haley and Megan Gilliland got the ball in for kills. The Lions rallied back with kills by Lee Prezio and Ioana Poenaru. A kill by Jenna Rosenbaum kicked off a four point run for the Lions to allow them to take a 21-18 point lead. Southern Wesleyan was not discouraged as Briley Wolff collected a pass from Amiyah Spann and got it past the Mars Hill defense to score. Kills by Haley put the Warriors back on top. Kaylon Chapman drilled the ball down to allow the Warriors to take a 25-22 victory in the opening set.
Set Two
Mars Hill took the first points of the second set of the game as Ioana Poenaru laid down a kill and then Alyssa Kornegay served up an ace. However, the Warriors quickly answered with kills by Megan Gilliland and Ainsley Stovall to put them on top 3-2. A kill by Jenna Rosenbaum kicked off a five point rally by the Lions. Gilliland got in another kill, but it was not enough as the Lions pressed on with kills by Skylar Ogden and Selma Vassdal. Karson Haley and Briley Wolff each got in some kills, but Mars Hill would not relent their attacks as Rosenbaum got in another kill to extend the Lions lead to 19-8. Southern Wesleyan fought back as Katie Fulton, Gilliland and Kaylon Chapman each recorded kills. It was not enough as the Lions claimed the the second set in a 25-18 final.
Set Three
Early attack errors by the Warriors allowed the Lions to get on the board first in the third set. Katie Fulton set the ball up to Micheala Andress who got it down for a kill to tie the set up at two points each. The Lions pressed on as Skylar Ogden and Selma Vassdal blocked an attack by Andress. Andress would not relent as she got down several more kills to keep the Warriors within two points of the Lions. Another kill by Vassdal jump started a five point run for Mars Hill to give them an 11-4 point lead. Southern Wesleyan fought back as Megan Gilliland and Sarah Mitchell blocked another attack by Ioana Poenaru. However, the Warriors fell in the third set in a 25-13 final.
Set Four
The Warriors struck first in the final set of the match as Kaylon Chapman got down a kill. Southern Wesleyan's lead was short lived as Ioana Poenaru and Skylar Ogden each got in kills. The Lions continued to pressure the Warriors defense as Poenaru served up an ace and then Jenna Rosenbaum and Selma Vassdal blocked an attack off the hands of Sarah Mitchell. Katie Fulton served up an ace. Mars Hill went on the attack again, but Michaela Andress and Briley Wolff were there to block it. Back-to-back kills off the hands of Megan Gilliland allowed the Warriors to tie the set up at thirteen. The Warriors and the Lions battled back and fourth. Sarah Mitchell got down a kill and then served up an ace to tie the final set of the match up once again. Mars Hill pressed on though as a kill by Rosenbaum allowed them to take the set in a 25-20 final.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will host their final regular season game on November 8 as they welcome the Erskine Flying Fleet to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium. Prior to the game, the Warriors will celebrate their seniors. They will then wrap up the regular season on the road on November 11 as they travel to Rome, GA to take on the Shorter Hawks.
