LYNCHBURG, Va- The Randolph volleyball team hosted Hollins and Shenandoah in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference tri-match on Saturday afternoon. The WildCats went 2-0 on the day as they swept Hollins and the Hornets both by scores of 3-0.
The WIldCats improve their overall record to 7-6, The team is now 2-2 in ODAC play.
Against Hollins in the first match of the day, the WildCats got out to a 4-0 lead. HU came back but Randolph still held a three-point advantage at 9-6. The 'Cats then went on a 5-0 run to go ahead 14-6. The WildCats led by as much as 20-9 but Hollins crept its way back in to close to 23-20. A kill by Nikki Hurt (Cartersville, Va./Cumberland) followed by an attack error by Hollins gave Randolph the last two points it needed to claim the set 25-20.
In the second set, Randolph again went up 4-0. It was a one-point WildCat lead at two instances but with the score standing at 18-16, the 'Cats ripped off a 7-1 run to end the set and win 25-17.
The Wildcats built up leads of seven and eight points in the third set. Leading 20-12, Randolph closed out Hollins with a 5-0 run to claim the frame 25-12.
Hurt led the team with nine kills. Tomi-Lauren McGinnis (Ringgold, Va./Dan River) and Logan Warren (Chesterfield, Va./Steward School) both added seven kills each with McGinnis also chipping in eight digs. Madison Daniels (Warrenton, Va./Liberty) was the digs leader with 13. Melody Washington (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) totaled 14 assists and Emily Barcenas (Lawrenceville, Ga./Lanier) nine assists. Barcenas also had four service aces.
Going up against Shenandoah in the last match of the afternoon, the Hornets took a 3-0 lead that grew to 8-2. After getting to within three points of tying, Randolph took its first lead at 10-9. SU regained the lead at 13-10 and 15-12. The WildCats jumped ahead 16-15 and stayed on top by as much as three points until a Shenandoah rally gave the visitors a 22-21 advantage. Randolph was able to come back and finish off the Hornets with a pair of kills by Warren along with a kill by Ainsley Simmons (Fincastle, Va./James River) and an attack error on SU to win 25-22.
The 'Cats led 3-0 early in the second set. Randolph stayed out in front and with a 16-10 lead, was able to use a 9-1 run to win 25-11.
SU took a big 6-0 lead in the third frame. Randolph answered with six points of its own to tie the set at 6-6. Shenandoah regained its lead at 11-7 but again the WildCats responded to tie at 12-12. From there, the 'Cats went on a 13-3 run to close the door on the Hornets and win 25-15.
Warren led in kills with 12 while hitting .476. She added two block assists and two digs. Hurt tallied seven kills. Washington had a double-double effort of 15 assists and 11 digs. Kenleigh Gunter (Troutville, Va./Lord Botetourt) led in digs with 19. Barcenas picked up 11 assists and laid down six service aces. Daniels and McGinnis had nine and eight digs, respectively.
Randolph hosts North Carolina Wesleyan next Friday night at Giles Gymnasium. Start time for the match will be 6:30 p.m.
