DANVILLE, Va.- The Randolph volleyball began its 2023 season on Friday as they played a pair of matches at the Cougar Classic hosted by Averett University. The WildCats defeated Waynesburg University in their first match of the day 3-0 and then knocked off Roanoke 3-1. The victory over the Maroons was the first for Randolph since 2011.

In the first set, Randolph got out to a 12-4 lead. Waynesburg stormed back to cut the score to 12-11 and then would eventually tie the match at 14-all. With the score tied at 18-18, The WildCats used a 7-1 run to close out the Yellow Jackets and win 25-19.

The 'Cats had leads of 12-8 and 16-9 in the second set. Waynesburg got as close as five points at 21-16 but four straight points by Randolph, ending with a kill by McKayla Padgett (Amherst, Va./Amherst County HS), gave the WildCats a 25-16 win.

Randolph led 13-7 in the third frame. The Yellow Jackets got as close as four points at 16-12 but the WildCats were in firm control as they went to take the set 25-15 and win the match.

Tahani Villines (Whittset, N.C./Williams) led with 12 kills and added 14 digs. Brooke Murdock (Evington, Va./Timberlake Christian) put up eight kills and five total blocks. Brooklyn Finnerty (Lynchburg, Va./Timberlake) chipped in eight kills. Izzy Allen (Williamsburg, Va./Peninsula Catholic) paced the team with 18 assists and Jayda Domenech (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) 15 assists. Domenech also had 11 digs. Gracie Fulton (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) led with 16 digs. Padgett finished with 11 digs.

Against the Maroons, the WildCats fell behind 7-3 in the first set. Randolph then went on a 14-4 run to pull ahead 17-11 on its way to the 25-16 set win.
Randolph led 8-3 in the second set and went ahead 14-7. A7-0 run upped the WildCat advantage to 21-8. Roanoke then went on a 7-0 run of its own to close to 21-15. The 'Cats outlasted the Maroons 4-1 for another 25-16 set win.

Roanoke jumped on Randolph 8-2 in the third frame and were ahead by as much as 12-4. The Maroons led for the remainder of the set as it won 25-13.

RC scored the first point of the fourth set but Randolph rattled off six straight points to lead 6-1. The WildCat lead grew to 18-8 and only saw its lead dip no less than six points as they would win 25-18 and defeat the Maroons.

Finnerty led in kills with nine and added four total blocks. Murdock contributed eight kills, two block assists, and five digs. Villines led in digs with 14 to go with seven kills.

Fulton put up 12 digs. Domenech led in assists with 18 and Allen added 11. Randolph registered 10 service aces in the match.

Randolph will take on Bob Jones University tomorrow morning at 10:00 am followed by Piedmont at 12:00 pm to wrap up the Classic.