Mount Olive, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell in a five set thriller against the University of Mount Olive Trojans on Saturday in a 3-2 final.
The Warriors totaled 61 kills against the Trojans in the five set match. Kaylon Chapman led the Warriors with 15 kills. Right behind her, Michaela Andress and Ainsley Stovall each had 14 kills. Of the 52 assists, senior setter Amiyah Spann collected 24. She was closely followed by Rylie Barriger with 21. Barriger went on to lead the team with four aces.
Defensively, the Warriors accumulated 64 digs. Alexxis Wader had 15 digs while Michaela Andress had 13. Southern Wesleyan blocked 10 attacks made by the Trojans throughout the match. Both Sarah Mitchell and Briley Wolff had four blocks to their names.
Match Vitals
Set One: Mount Olive 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
Set Two: Southern Wesleyan 25, Mount Olive 21
Set Three: Mount Olive 25, Southern Wesleyan 22
Set Four: Southern Wesleyan 27, Mount Olive 25
Set Five: Mount Olive 15, Southern Wesleyan 9
Records: Southern Wesleyan (8-6 / CC 6-4) Mount Olive (9-9 / CC 5-5)
How It Happened
Set One
Mount Olive took the early lead as kills by Kaitlyn Koel and Olivia Melvin allowed the Trojans to take a 2-0 point lead. However, the Warriors answered as Amiyah Spann set the ball up to Michaela Andress who drilled it past the Trojans' defense. An ace by Andress put the Warriors back within one point of Mount Olive. The Trojans intensified their attacks, but the Warriors would not back down as Briley Wolff served in an ace. Kaylon Chapman sent the ball past the defense for a kill to keep Southern Wesleyan within three of Mount Olive. Melvin looked to extend on the Trojans lead, but Chapman and Sarah Mitchell got up to block her attack on the net. The Warriors would not relent as Ainsley Stovall drilled the ball down for a kill, but Koel answered with a kill of her own. Southern Wesleyan continued to chip away at Mount Olive's lead as Faith Paxton served up an ace and then Michaela Andress got the ball down for a kill. The Trojans would not relent as they took the opening set in a 25-21 final.
Set Two
Southern Wesleyan went on the attack early in the second set as Briley Wolff blocked an attack by Bayli Bryan. Michaela Andress got the ball down for a kill and then Amiyah Spann served up an ace to give the Warriors a 3-0 point lead. A kill off the hands of Olivia Melvin put the Trojans on the board in the second set. Kaylon Chapman went on the attack, but Kaitlyn Landis and Rachel Clark blocked the ball from finding the net. Melvin got the ball in for a kill, but the Warriors answered with a kill off the hands of Briley Wolff. Mount Olive tied the set up as Landis got the ball down for a kill. However, Sarah Mitchell and Kaylon Chapman blocked Kaitlyn Koel's attack on the net to put the Warriors back on top. Megan Gilliland collected a set by Rylie Barriger and drilled the ball down for a kill to put the Warriors ahead by two once again.
Set Three
Michaela Andress and Briley Wolff blocked an opening attack by Olivia Melvin to give the Warriors the first point of the third set. However, back-to-back kills by Bayli Bryan and Kaitlyn Koel allowed the Trojans to take the lead. Their lead was short lived as Ainsley Stovall and Kaylon Chapman each got the ball down for kills. Sarah Mitchell looked to extend on the Warriors lead, but Rachel Clark blocked her attack on the net. The Trojans continued to fight back as Clark served up an ace to give Mount Olive back the lead. However, the lead was short lived as Chapman and Stovall each got the ball down for kills. Rylie Barriger set the ball up to Megan Gilliland who drilled it past the Trojans. Mount Olive took the lead as Koel got down several more kills. However, the Warriors fought back with kills by Stovall, Chapman and Andress to stay within two. Mount Olive claimed the third set in a 25-22 final off a kill by Melvin.
Set Four
Mount Olive struck first in set four as Rachel Clark got the ball in for a kill. The Warriors answered with back-to-back kills by Kaylon Chapman and Ainsley Stovall. Stovall collected the ball off a pass from Rylie Barriger and got it past the Trojans for a kill. Mount Olive would not relent their attacks as Clark got in another kill and then Marleigh Cooper served up an ace. Megan Gilliland's attack hit off the Trojans defense for a kill to give the Warriors a 12-10 point advantage. Mount Olive fought back, but the Warriors would not let up as Rylie Barriger served up three aces in a row. Kylie Ramey and Ainsley Stovall got up to block an attack on the net by Katilyn Koel to give the Warriors a five point advantage. Mount Olive continued to fight as Koel and Bryan blocked another attack by Stovall. The Trojans fought back, but a kill by Chapman allowed the Warriors to take the fourth set in a 27-25 final.
Set Five
Mount Olive claimed the first point of the final set as Kaitlyn Koel got in a kill. The Trojans would not relent as Koel got in a couple more kills and Lydnsey Reid served up an ace. Kaylon Chapman got the ball in for a kill. However, the Trojans would not relent as Kaitlyn Landis got in several more kills to extend their lead to seven. Michaela Andress got in a couple of kills, but Mount Olive would not back down as a final kill by Koel allowed them to take the final set in a 15-9 final.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return home to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on October 7 as they host the Emmanuel Lions at 6pm. They will then hit the road to take on Chowan University on October 9 and then Barton College on October 10. On October 16, the Warriors will host the Francis Marion Patriots in Central, SC.
