Box Score For Immediate Release – 10/14/16 - #084
SU takes down WildCats in Volleyball
WINCHESTER, VA – The Randolph College volleyball team began a busy weekend on Friday night, playing Shenandoah University in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action. The Hornets defeated the WildCats in three sets, 24-26, 18-25, and 11-25.
The Hornets started off the match getting a narrow three-point lead. It would grow only slightly and hang around the same deficit after the teams traded points. Rebecca Lesnak had two kills, while Alex Mariona and Autumn Troxell also slammed home Brooks Gillerlain sets to keep the score at 10-7. After a single point by SU, the WildCats came back with three straight. Troxell served an ace, before notching a kill. The teams then traded two-point runs, until Shenandoah was held to only one. At this point, the WildCats tied it at 17, thanks to a combined block between Gillerlain and Olivia Pullin. The Hornets came back with two more, but Troxell and Gillerlain helped in a five-point burst. After the hosts scored four of the next five, Pullin and Lesnak combined for a block to get game point. But SU came back with three-straight points to take the first.
Shenandoah used that late run as momentum in the second, starting with five of the first six. But Mariona was there to stop the run, with two kills that were sandwiched around an SU error. Two points came for the hosts, but Randolph stormed back to take the 8-7 lead. Once again, runs were traded, which included multiple kills by Shelby Bergum. The Hornets then retook the lead and extended it to two. Randolph responded after a timeout, with Troxell getting a kill as the WildCats took the lead. But Shenandoah put together a well-timed run to eventually take the set.
The third began in back and forth action, as the lead changed hands four times in the first few points. Mariona, Troxell and Bergum helped combine for an 8-6 lead, as two had kills and a block, and the other (Troxell) served an ace. But the hosts went on a large run to take a commanding lead. It was ended by another Mariona kill, but it would be to no avail as the Hornets won the set and the match.
Mariona paced the 'Cats with nine kills, while Gillerlain posted 20 assists. It was the 15th time this year that Gillerlain has been at 20 or more. Caylin Harris had a match-high 10 kills for the Hornets (11-12 overall, 3-5 ODAC).
Randolph (3-17, 1-7) will continue its busy weekend early on Saturday. The WildCats will head to Washington and Lee University for a Saturday tri-match. The first contest, coming against the Generals, will start at 11 a.m.
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