Box Score

WILSON, NC - Women's volleyball took on the Barton College Bulldogs in the first game of their Spring 2021 season. The game was a conference opener for the Lions as they look to defend their 2019 Conference Carolinas championship victory. The ladies have waited nearly a year and a half to do so, as their regular fall season was postponed due to COVID-19. 

The first set began with several momentum swings as Barton took the early lead. The Lions rallied back, pulling ahead by one point, 10-9. Barton quickly retook the lead and controlled the set, eventually leading 24-21. With the Bulldogs on the brink of taking the first set, junior Mia Cotton kept the Lions alive with a kill. An error by Barton and a kill by freshman Gabrielle McGlamery pulled the Lions even with the Bulldogs, 24-24. Clutch serves from Cotton led to kills by freshmen Emily Hanson and Alaina Emminger, giving Emmanuel the set in dramatic fashion, 26-24.

The Lions carried their momentum into the second set, taking the early lead by four, 9-5. The Bulldogs responded with four straight points to tie the set. Emmanuel once again pulled ahead, leading 13-10, and Barton once again tied the set. The teams continued to fight back and forth, with neither one able to pull ahead. With the score tied at 23, junior Amanda Mazurkiewicz notched a kill that put the Lions ahead by one, 24-23. However, three consecutive points by the Bulldogs resulted in them winning the set, 26-24. 

Barton scored the first two points of the third set, but Emmanuel quickly raced to a 10-6 lead. The Lions continued to control the set, leading by as much as six points, 16-10. However, the Bulldogs fought their way back, coming within one point late in the set, 24-23. Back to back kills by Barton flipped the score and gave them a one point advantage, 25-24. The Bulldogs completed their comeback with an ace, winning the set by two points, 26-24. 

The fourth set began with the two teams evenly exchanging the first few points. However, four unanswered points were scored by the Bulldogs to give them a 9-6 advantage. Barton continued to hold their lead until the Lions managed a three point run to tie the set, 16-16. An error from the Bulldogs gave the Lions a 17-16 lead that they were able to capitalize on en route to taking the set 25-22. The rally from Emmanuel sent the game into a fifth and final set. 

The fifth set, played to 15 points instead of 25, was tied early on at 4 points each. However, kills from Mia Cotton and junior Aleksandra Hamuda propelled the Lions to a three point lead, 9-6. The Bulldogs were unable to recover as the Lions dominated the remainder of the set, taking it 15-10 to win the first game of their season. 

The Lions were led by Mia Cotton, who hit .367 and recorded 15 kills, an ace, and 3 blocks. Alaina Emminger followed with 10 kills, hitting .286. 

Next up, women's volleyball will take on conference rival Belmont Abbey College on February 12. 

For more on Emmanuel Collete athletics, visit goeclions.com.