Bristol, TN – Southern Wesleyan took down the King Tornado on the road on Saturday afternoon in a 3-1 final.
The Warriors totaled 58 kills in the match with Briley Wolff leading the team with 10. She was followed by Ainsley Stovall with nine kills and Michaela Andress with eight. Of the 54 assists in the match, Amiyah Spann led the team with 18. Rylie Barriger had 11 assists. Southern Wesleyan had 13 services aces in the game. Spann had five aces and Barriger followed with four.
Defensively, the Warriors collected 83 digs in the match. Alexxis Wader had 20 digs and Michaela Andress had 16 digs. Rylie Barriger also had double digits in digs with 15. The Warriors blocked 11 attacks made by the Tornado. Sarah Mitchell led the team with seven blocks.
Match Vitals
Set One: King 25, Southern Wesleyan 23
Set Two: Southern Wesleyan 25, King 21
Set Three: Southern Wesleyan 25, King 22
Set Four: Southern Wesleyan 25, King 22
Records: Southern Wesleyan (7-5 / CC 5-3) King (8-6 / CC 3-4)
How It Happened
Set One
King took an early 2-1 point lead as Isabella Statzer got in an early kill. Kills by Avery Schwieger and Haley Harnicher allowed the Tornado to extend their lead to two. The Warriors answered as Kaylon Chapman collected a pass from Rylie Barriger and drilled the ball down for a kill. Michaela Andress got the ball over the heads of the Tornado defense to score and tie the set up at five. King went on the attack again, but Andress, Chapman and Briley Wolff blocked their attacks on the net. Ainsley Stovall got the ball down for a kill, but the Tornado would not relent as Madison Singleton's kill allowed King to take a 15-12 point lead. King pressed on as Cameron Martin served up two aces. Ainsley Stovall got the ball down for a kill, but the Tornado would not relent as they won the first set in a 25-23 final.
Set Two
The Tornado took an early lead in set two as Cameron Martin and Isabella Statzer laid down back-to-back kills. Southern Wesleyan answered as Megan Gilliland and Briley Wolff each got the ball down for kills. Kaylon Chapman and Sarah Mitchell blocked the next attack on the net by Madison Singleton. A kill by Chapman allowed the Warriors to take the lead for the first time in the set. King looked to get back on top, but once again Chapman and Mitchell were there to block their attacks on the net. Michaela Andress got the ball down for a kill to jump start a four point run for the Warriors to give them a six point lead. Southern Wesleyan continued to block the attacks on the net by King to allow them to claim the second set in a 25-21 point lead.
Set Three
Southern Wesleyan charged out of the gate in the third set as Amiyah Spann served up three aces to give the Warriors a 4-0 point lead. A kill by Avery Schwieger put the Tornado on the board. Spann set the ball up to Briley Wolff who drilled it down past the Tornado defense to put the Warriors on top by four. Haley Harnichar went on the attack, but Sarah Mitchell and Megan Gilliland blocked her attack on the net. An attack error by the Tornado jump started a six point run by the Warriors that was highlighted by a kill by Kaylon Chapman and service ace by Rylie Barriger to give the Warriors a 16-5 point lead. The Tornado challenged as Capri Johnson and Haley Harnichar blocked another attack by Southern Wesleyan. The Warriors would not relent as Sarah Mitchell got in a kill to allow Southern Wesleyan to take a 25-22 point victory over King.
Set Four
Michaela Andress got in a kill to give the Warriors the first point of the game in the final set. The Warriors pressed on as Ainsley Stovall and Briley Wolff each got the ball down for kills. Southern Wesleyan looked to extend on their lead as Sarah Mitchell put up an attack, but Haley Harnichar blocked her attack on the net. Isabella Statzer got down a kill to put the Tornado within one point of the Warriors. The Tornado attempted to take the lead as Cameron Martin went on the attack, but Briley Wolff and Megan Gilliland blocked Martin's attack. Harnichar got the ball down for a kill to tie the set up at fifteen. Rylie Barriger served up three aces in a row to extend Southern Wesleyan's lead to four points. Amiyah Spann set the ball up to Micheala Andress who drilled it down past the Tornado defense to give the Warriors a 25-22 point victory in the fourth set.
What's Next
The Warriors will travel to Young Harris, GA on September 29 to take on the Young Harris Mountain Lions at 6pm. They will remain on the road on October 3 as they travel to Mount Olive, NC to take on the University of Mount Olive Trojans. Southern Wesleyan will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on October 7 as they welcome the Emmanuel Lions to Central, SC.
