Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan dropped their Conference Carolinas opening match against the Shorter Hawks in a 3-1 final score.
The Warriors totaled 36 kills with freshman Kaylon Chapman leading the team with 10. Behind her, Ainsley Stovall had eight kills and Micheala Andress had seven. Katie Fulton led the Warriors with 17 assists while Kassie Swink picked up 13 assists.
Southern Wesleyan accumulated 57 digs during the match. Libero Faith Paxton had 16 digs while Kassie Swink had 11. Sarah Mitchell was apart of four blocks. Both Mitchell and Swink had the lone aces of the match for the Warriors.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Southern Wesleyan 27, Shorter 25
Set Two Final: Shorter 25, Southern Wesleyan 15
Set Three Final: Shorter 25, Southern Wesleyan 23
Set Four Final: Shorter 25, Southern Wesleyan 17
Records: Southern Wesleyan (2-3 / CC 0-1) Shorter (2-4 / CC 1-0)
How It Happened
Set One
The Hawks came out swinging as Caroline Sivills got in the first kill of the opening set. The Warriors answered with kills by Ainsley Stovall and Kaylon Chapman to tie the set up. Southern Wesleyan countered every point the Hawks got in. Back-to-back kills by Briley Wolff and Micheala Andress allow the Warriors to take a 7-5 point lead. The lead was short lived as Taylor-Reese Howell and Alexis Williams blocked Andress' next attack at the net. Shorter pushed on and went on a four point run before a kill by Kassie Swink stopped them. The Warriors battled back as Swink served up an ace off a reception error by Acca Berube. The Hawks regained the lead, but the Warriors tied up the set point. Kaylon Chapman drilled the ball down to allow the Warriors to claim the first set in a 27-25 final.
Set Two
The Warriors jumped out early in the second set as Micheala Andress got in a kill. Ainsley Stovall and Sarah Mitchell got above the net to block an attack made by Victoria Sparks. However, Shorter was able to take the lead for the first time in the set seconds later as Taylor-Reese Howell got in a kill of her own. Kills by Briley Wolff and Andress tied the set up once again. The Hawks would not be deterred as Adalyn Stewart put down a kill off a set from Helena Kelley. Despite a couple more kills by Kaylon Chapman, Shorter shut the Warriors down in the second set to claim a 25-15 point victory.
Set Three
Shorter maintained their intensity in the third set as kills by Caroline Sivills, Victoria Sparks and Ava Medina put them on top. Kaylon Chapman collected the ball off a set by Katie Fulton and got in a kill of her own. The Hawks would not relent as they got several more kills in past the Warriors. Victoria Sparks went on the attack once again, but this time Chapman and Briley Wolff were there to block it from landing. Ainsley Stovall snuck in a kill past Ava Medina to keep the Warriors within three of the Hawks. Southern Wesleyan battled back with a couple more kills off the hands of Chapman. However, a kill by Sparks allowed the Hawks to take the third set in a 25-23 victory.
Set Four
Caroline Sivills and Alexis Williams blocked an early attack by Kaylon Chapman to start the final set of the match. Chapman was able to get the next attack down to tie the game. However, Shorter would not back down as kills by Ava Medina and Victoria Sparks put them on top 6-1. A kill off of the hands of Ainsley Stovall put the Warriors back within three points of the Hawks. However, Shorter continued to make an offensive run as they got four more points on the board. Kassie Swink set the ball up to Briley Wolff, who got the ball past the Hawks defense for a kill. The Warriors were able to get a couple more points on the board, but Shorter was able to claim the set in a 25-17 point victory to claim the match.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will hit the road to Pembroke, NC on September 19 to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves at 6pm. They will remain on the road on September 20 as they travel over to Florence, SC to take on the Francis Marion Patriots. The Warriors will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on September 24.
