BELMONT, NC – The Emmanuel Women's Volleyball team traveled to Belmont, NC to face Belmont Abbey College this afternoon in conference play. The Lions jumped ahead early, taking the first set, 25-17 and carried the momentum into the final two sets, winning 25-19, 25-18 to earn the 3-0 sweep. With the win, the Lions improve to 16-6 overall, 12-2 in conference action.
The first set saw the Lions jump out to a 6-3 lead on kills by
Cailin Pritchard and
Ellie Jackson. The Crusaders responded to tie things up and the teams traded points until kills by Pritchard and
Natalie Wilson along with a service ace by
Isabel Miller made it 14-9, Lions midway through the set. The Lions continued on a 7-0 run made up of kills by Jackson, Pritchard and
Jada Porter to put the Lions up by ten, 21-11. The Crusaders closed the gap to 24-17, but a kill by
Morgan Broome gave the Lions the set, 25-17.
In the second set, the teams traded points early, but the Lions pulled ahead on a 4-0 run, with kills by Wilson and
Brianna Bigelow, along with an ace from Jackson to make it 13-8. Belmont Abbey would pull within two, 13-11, but a 4-0 run by the Lions, made up of kills by Pritchard and Porter along with back-to-back aces from Miller made it 17-11, Lions. Late in the set, the Crusaders cut the Lions lead to 21-18, but the Lions finished strong with kills from Wilson,
Marusa Pesut, and
Skye Graham to give Emmanuel the set two win, 25-19.
The Lions carried their momentum into the third set, taking an early 9-4 lead on kills by Porter, Pritchard, and
Brooke Lee. Midway through the set, kills by Porter, Pritchard and Wilson put the Lions up 16-8. Late in the set, the Crusaders cut the Lions lead to 21-18, but kills by Porter and Wilson, alongside an ace from Miller put the set away, 25-18 giving the Lions the 3-0 sweep.
Overall, the Lions had 44 kills, 8 aces, 4 blocks, 39 assists and 60 digs.
Cailin Pritchard led the Lions with 11 kills and 4 blocks on the afternoon.
Marusa Pesut dished out 32 assists and had 3 blocks and 13 digs on the day.
Isabel Miller had herself a day, with 4 aces and 23 digs for the Lions.
Next up, the Lions will host Augusta on Tuesday at 6PM in the Lions Den. It's Block Out Cancer Night, so wear pink and join us as we honor those fighting, survived, or remembered.
