Greeneville, TN – Southern Wesleyan split their tri-match series against the University of Montevallo Falcons and the Tusculum Pioneers on Friday evening. After dropping the first match against the Falcons in a 3-0 final, the Warriors rallied back to defeat the Pioneers in a 3-2 final score.
Southern Wesleyan totaled 31 kills against Montevallo. Kaylon Chapman led the team with 12 kills. Of the 28 assists, Amiyah Spann had 14 and Katie Fulton picked up 10. Michaela Andress recorded two more aces during the season. The Warriors totaled three blocks in their first match of the evening. Andress had 10 digs in the match.
The Warriors picked up 50 kills in their victory over the Pioneers of Tusculum. Ainsley Stovall led the Warriors with 13 while both Briley Wolff and Michaela Andress followed with 10. Of the 49 assists during the match, Amiyah Spann collected 27 of them. Southern Wesleyan totaled six aces during the match with both Alexxis Wader and Sarah Mitchell recording two. The other aces came off the hands of Andress and Kassie Swink. The Warriors were able to block eight attacks during the match. Junior Faith Paxton led the team with 30 digs.
Match Vitals
Match One Final: Montevallo 3, Southern Wesleyan 0
Set One: Montevallo 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Set Two: Montevallo 25, Southern Wesleyan 13
Set Three: Montevallo 25, Southern Wesleyan 15
Match Two Final:
Set One: Tusculum 25, Southern Wesleyan 10
Set Two: Tusculum 25, Southern Wesleyan 15
Set Three: Southern Wesleyan 25, Tusculum 22
Set Four: Southern Wesleyan 25, Tusculum 18
Set Five: Southern Wesleyan 15, Tusculum 8
Records: Southern Wesleyan (2-2) Montevallo (2-4) Tusculum (2-5)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan vs Montevallo
Set One
The Warriors were the first on the board after an attack error by Danielle Greene, but kills by Eliza Tyrrell and Nikol Antova allowed the Falcons to take a 2-1 point lead. Ainsley Stovall collected a set from Amiyah Spann and answered with a kill of her own to tie the first set of the match up. The Falcons regained the lead, but Southern Wesleyan countered with kills by Sarah Mitchell and Kaylon Chapman. Montevallo would not relent as they pushed ahead with kills by Antova and Elise Hanson. A kill by Briley Wolff kept the Warriors within two. However, the Falcons would not back down as several more kills by Ellise Hanson allowed them to maintain their advantage. Kaylon Chapman and Sarah Mitchell were able to block an attack by Tyrrell. Despite several kills by Chapman, Ellie Moore and Michaela Andress, the Warriors fell to the Falcons 25-20.
Set Two
Montevallo took the early lead in the second set as kills by Eliza Tyrrell and Danielle Greene gave them the advantage. The Warriors fought back as Kaylon Chapman and Ainsley Stovall each got in some kills. Katie Fulton set the ball up to Michaela Andress. Andress got the ball past the Falcons for a kill to keep Southern Wesleyan within five. The Falcons would not relent on their attacks at the net as Tyrrell and Nikol Antova put down some more kills. Montevallo went on to win the second set in a 25-13 final.
Set Three
After a kill by Eliza Tyrrell kicked off the final set of the match, Micheala Andress was able to give the Warriors the advantage off a kill and an ace. Their lead was short lived as kills by Tyrrell and Nikol Antova put Montevallo back on top. Kaylon Chapman got the ball past the Falcons for a kill that put the Warriors back within two points of Montevallo. Teigen Foster served up an ace off a reception error by Morgan Netcott. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenged Montevallo's every attack as Micheala Andress and Kaylon Chapman each got in a couple more kills. The Falcons attacks would not relent as they took the final set in a 25-15 final.
Southern Wesleyan vs Tusculum
Set One
Southern Wesleyan took the first two points of the set with kills by Ainsley Stovall and Kaylon Chapman. However, the Pioneers were able to block another attack by Chapman to tie the set up. Amiyah Spann set the ball up to Stovall who got in another kill to put Southern Wesleyan back on top. Tusculum would not back down as Adrena Lee, Karris Oller and Mackenzie Land put down kills to give the Pioneers the lead. The Pioneers distanced themselves further with several more kills by Lee. Despite a kill by Ainsley Stovall, the Warriors fell to the Pioneers in the first set 25-10.
Set Two
Tusculum took the early advantage in the second set as Adreana Lee and Breana Pelbath laid down kills. However, a kill by Ainsley Stovall allowed the Warriors to tie the set back up. Mary Kathrine Hall had a reception error off a serve by Sarah Mitchell for an ace that put the Warriors ahead 4-3. The Warriors lead was short lived as the Pioneers took the lead off kills by Pelbath and Karris Oller. Micheala Andress collected a pass from Katie Fulton and put down a kill to keep the Warriors within five. Tusculum continued to distance themselves from the Warriors with kills by Victoria Church. Kaylon Chapman and Micheala Andress got in a couple more kills, but the Pioneers took the second set in a 25-15 final.
Set Three
Errors by the Pioneers allowed the Warriors to take the lead early in the third set of the match. Tusculum tied the set up as Maggie Kane served up an ace. Kaylon Chapman put down a kill off a pass from Amiyah Spann. Tusculum took the lead as Mackenzie Land and Jaida Alvin put down kills to give them a three point lead. Alexxis Wader served up an ace to put the Warriors back within two. Kills by Briley Wolff, Michaela Andress and Kaylon Chapman allowed the Warriors to come back to within one. The Pioneers would not relent, but the Warriors were able to counter their every attack as Andress and Sarah Mitchell blocked Tusculum's attacks on the net. Amiyah Spann set the ball up to Briley Wolff. Wolff put down another kill to tie the set up. Southern Wesleyan would not relent on their attacks as kills by Ainsley Stovall allowed the Warriors to take the third set in a 25-22 final.
Set Four
The Warriors went on the offensive first in the fourth set. Kills by Michaela Andress, Ainsley Stovall and Kaylon Chapman allowed the Warriors to take an early 4-0 point lead. The Pioneers countered as Adreana Lee and Breana Pelbath blocked another attack by Stovall. Amiyah Spann set the ball up for Sarah Mitchell to put down a kill. Southern Wesleyan continued to attack the net as a kill by Katelyn Baxley allowed them to extend their lead to four. However, a service ace by Mackenzie Land put the Pioneers back within one point of the Warriors. The Warriors continued to rally in the fourth set with kills by Andress and Briley Wolff. Lee and Pelbath blocked an attack by Stovall, but Stovall's next attack on the net landed to put the Warriors lead at 20-16. A kill by Karris Oller allowed the Pioneers to cut Southern Wesleyan's lead down to three. However, the Warriors would not back down as Michaela Andress blocked an attack by Victoria Church to allow the Warriors to take the fourth set 25-18.
Set Five
Errors by the Pioneers allowed the Warriors to take the early lead. Tusculum would not relent their attacks as kills by Breana Pelbath and Adreana Lee allowed them to tie the final set up at two. Michaela Andress served up yet another ace to allow the Warriors to regain their two point advantage. Amiyah Spann set the ball up and Ainsley Stovall got the ball past the Pioneers to extend the Warriors lead to four points. Several more attack errors by Tusculum and a kill by Michaela Andress allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to 11-5 and force a Pioneer timeout. Karris Oller got in another kill for the Pioneers, but kills by Andress, Chapman and Briley Wolff allowed the Warriors to claim the final set in a 15-8 final.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will host their home and Conference Carolinas opener on September 16 as they welcome the Shorter Hawks to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium at 6pm. They will then travel to Pembroke, NC on September 19 to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves and then on to Florence, SC on September 20 to take on the Francis Marion Patriots.
