For immediate release – 9/10/2016 - #034
WildCats Fall on Second Day of LC Tournament

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College volleyball team played for the second day at the Lynchburg College Invitational on Saturday.  The 'Cats fell in both matches, dropping the match against Oglethorpe University 18-25, 20-25, and 26-28 and the finale against Stevenson University 18-25, 19-25, and 18-25.

Randolph jumped out quick to start the first set.  The WildCats had a 7-5 lead early on, but the Stormy Petrels responded with a run to take a four-point advantage.  The 'Cats answered as Autumn Troxell smashed two kills and Sam Verhaagen had an ace to bring the team within one.  However, the runs continued to be exchanged in the set as OU once again pushed their advantage out.  But Randolph came back to bring the score within two.  Alex Mariona recorded two kills, while Brooks Gillerlain served an ace and registered a kill of her own.  Oglethorpe then used a late run to win the set.

The second saw the Stormy Petrels get the early advantage, but the 'Cats scored five of the next six to take a 5-4 lead.  Mariona led the way, slamming home two Gillerlain passes, while Gillerlain and Lauren Morgan each had one.  At this point, the two teams once again began to exchange runs.  OU began with one to take a five-point lead.  But the 'Cats answered with two three-point bursts that sandwiched one from the Stormy Petrels.  Troxell posted two more points, with one kill in each run.  The teams continued to trade, before Rebecca Lesnak converted a pass from Gillerlain, making the deficit only two.  However, Oglethorpe went on a late run to extend the lead to its largest amount of the set.  The 'Cats attempted a comeback, but it would come up short.

Despite the setback, the WildCats stormed out in the third set.  The team got a quick 3-1 lead and pushed it to 11-3 while Verhaagen was serving.  Mariona and Troxell each slammed home two balls during the run.  OU answered with a small run to bring them within four, but the 'Cats determination extended the lead even further in the set.  Morgan continued her serving prowess, getting two more aces.  But the Stormy Petrels answered one more time and eventually tied the set at 22.  The two teams then went back and forth, until OU used extra points to earn the set and the match.

The finale of the tournament against came against one of the best teams in the region.  Randolph hung tough with the Mustangs early on in the first set.  The WildCats established small leads of 4-2 and 6-5.  Both teams then began to exchange points, with the game being tied at 10-all after a kill by Mariona.  However, SU started to go on a run shortly after.  Stevenson had four three-point runs, while the 'Cats scored four during that stretch.  Despite a late charge by Randolph, which featured kills by Olivia Pullin, Mariona, and Troxell, the Mustangs took the set.

The next set was very similar to the first, as the team from the host city took the early advantage.  Mariona was on fire with four kills, helping the 'Cats to a 7-5 lead.  Stevenson showed its mettle by responding and taking the lead, but Randolph fired right back with nine of 12 points.  Troxell notched three kills, while Taylor Webb and Canaan Taylor also added one during the streak.  However, the Mustangs came back from the small deficit and went on a run to take the set.

SU continued the final run of the second and carried it over to the third.  The team established an early six-point advantage, which became a 14-7 scoreline.  Randolph responded with three straight to cut it, but the Mustangs once again came back and expanded on their lead.  The WildCats made one final push, cutting the deficit to four, as Morgan and Mariona had kills, but Stevenson closed out the match.

Troxell finished the day with 19 kills and 12 digs, while Verhaagen led the team with 24 digs.  Gillerlain posted a two match total of 41 assists, which pushed her two day total to 123, a career-high for a four-game stretch.

Randolph (2-7 overall) will begin its Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) slate on Wednesday.  The WildCats travel to Emory & Henry College for a 6:30 p.m. match.

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