LYNCHBURG, VA – Sophomore Jordan Templin (Ferrum, VA/Franklin Co.) posted a big double-double of 15 kills and 21 digs as the Randolph College volleyball team earned its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory with a four-set win over Hollins University Wednesday evening. The WildCats won with scores of 27-25, 20-25, 25-22, and 25-23.

                In the first set, the WildCats (6-19/1-7 ODAC) led by as many as seven, posting a 20-13 lead after a kill from sophomore Grayce Darden (Martinsville, VA/Martinsville). Hollins went on a big run, rallying to know the score at 24, taking a 25-24 lead to earn set point. Randolph stayed tough and won the final three points of the set to earn the 27-25 set triumph.

                Templin posted four kills and five digs in the period, while junior Sydney Henson (Winston-Salem, VA/Ronald Reagan) added four kills on six swings. First-year Marissa McClinton (Bealeton, VA/Liberty-Bealeton), Darden and senior Sam Sublett (Bedford, VA/Staunton River) all had three blocks in the set.

                Hollins (7-17/1-7 ODAC) evened the match at one with a second set victory, earning a 25-20 win. The WildCats would come out of the intermission slow, allowing HU to score seven of the set's first 10 points. Randolph slowly got back into the set, and rushed by Hollins thanks to the serving of Andrea Mewhinney (Sanford, NC/Overhills). Mewhinney served eight straight points for the WildCats to turn am18-15 deficit into a 21-19 lead. Randolph would close out the set thanks to a kill from Templin.

                In the fourth and deciding game, Randolph again had to play catch up, posting a comeback to even the score at 15. After the team's traded points on and off, the match settled at 23 all, but the WildCats got a kill from Darden and an ace from Mewhinney to end it.

                All in all, the WildCats hit at a .227 percentage for the game, and posted 10.5 blocks as well. Darden finished with 11 kills and five blocks, while Henson added her best game of her career with 10 kills in only 24 attempts. Sublett registered four kills and five blocks, and McClinton added four blocks. Sublett also broke the single season record for assisted blocks in a year, posting her 59th of the campaign.

                Mewhinney had her best game as a collegiate, chalking up 23 assists and eight digs, and sophomore Kerry McMichael (Westminster, SC/West Oak) had 18 kills and five digs. Lexi Harrington (Clemmons, NC/West Forsyth) had 10 digs to move into seventh on the single-season digs list.

                HU was paced by the 16 kills from Lauren Hays, as she also blocked five attempts. Ally Reed had 13 kills and 13 digs, and Haley Ortiz also had a double-double for Hollins with 11 kills and 11 digs. Setter Lela Moore chalked up a game-high 38 assists to go with 11 digs, and libero Jessie Deese added 13 digs.

                The WildCats are back in action this Friday evening at 7 p.m. for Senior Night against Bridgewater College in the RAD Center. Sam Sublett will be honored before the game.

--RANDOLPH--