Skyhawks tame the Golden Tigers in five sets
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Oct. 4, 2022) - The Point University volleyball team returned to action Tuesday night for an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup against Brenau University and pulled through for the win 3-2.
Play by Play (25-22, 25-14, 25-19, 25-21, 15-9)
Brenau came into the first set with a quick 7-3 run. The Skyhawks fired back by taking advantage of service errors along with kills added from Sameily Marquez and Paige Lowe to now trail by one. The Golden Tigers returned the favor by tacking on four points as their offense ramped up their play to freeze Point from taking the lead. Marquez and Keylany Matos led the way for the Skyhawks' offense to help Point charge back into the set to bring the deficit to just one point, which forced Brenau to take a timeout. The Skyhawks came out of the timeout with their mindset to elevate by racking four points with two kills from Marquez and two attack errors from the Golden Eagles. Brenau's offense remained unfazed as they added three kills to tie the game at 20. Whitney Ward tallied a kill to bring the Skyhawks back into the lead, and an attack error from Brenau extended Point's lead 22-20. The Golden Eagles looked to create one more run to try to stall the Skyhawks, but an attack error along with kills from Ward and Sarah Baucham gave Point the edge to take the first set.
The second set started with the Golden Tigers with a 3-0 edge before Keylany Matos gave the Skyhawks the first kill of the set. From there, Point took advantage of Brenau's miscues on offenses which pushed them into the lead by one. Moving through the set, the Skyhawks went on to a 5-2, which pushed their lead by seven. The Golden Tigers gathered their focus by avoiding a double-digit deficit by adding three kills to now trail by four. Brenau added two more points in the set, which would be the last time they would score. The Skyhawks went into a tear as Marquez and Ward led the way on the offensive end to crush Brenau 25-14.
In the third set, both teams started off going back and forth on the scoreboard as neither team could get the upper edge over the other. With the game being tied at 11, the Skyhawks took the lead after a service error by the Golden Eagles to now lead 12-11. A kill by Mary Ellen Enright tied the game back at 12, but a ball handling error from Brenau put the Skyhawks back into the lead. Brenau would find their rhythm as they took control of the set with two kills from Annabeth Vandiver to bring their lead to three. Keylany Matos and Jadakate Judkins reeled Point back into play with two kills to trail 18-16 now. Brenau kept their rhythm going by only allowing three more points in the set and jumping into the lead to win the set 25-19.
The fourth set started with a Paige Lowe assist to Whitney Ward to get the Skyhawks on the scoreboard first. After the Golden Tigers responded with a kill, Sarah Baucham retaliated to add to their score. Point pushed their lead 7-4 with a plan to grow their lead further, but that plan backfired with a 6-0 run to now lead by three. As the Golden Tigers looked to stretch their lead, Jadakate Judkins and Paige Lowe secured a blocked to bring the deficit to one. Point evened the score with kills from Baucham and Ward, along with an attack error from Brenau. With both teams now tied at 20, the Golden Tigers inched their way to the finish line with a 3-0 run to lead 23-20. A service error from Brenau shortened the deficit to two points but would finish off the set to push it to five.
The fifth set proved to be the fight to the finish as Brenau started off with a 2-1 score until Sarah Baucham, Paige Lowe and Mackenzie Littrell added kills to take a 4-2 lead. Brenau responded with a kill of their own, but Marquez added the next two scores for the Skyhawks. The Skyhawks boosted their way to a four-point lead after another kill from Baucham and an attack error on Brenau. The Golden Tigers looked to add firepower as Vandiver for the Golden Tigers brought the deficit to three, but Whitney continued her streak of kills by adding another score for Point. As the Skyhawks looked to edge their way into victory, kills by Littrell, Marquez and Baucham brought the score to 14-7. Brenau attempted one final comeback by adding two points but would not be able to complete the attempt as Baucham and Littrell got the block at the end of the set and win the match for Point.
In the box
Sameily Marquez and Whitney Ward led the way for the Skyhawks, with both players adding 12 kills each. Sarah Baucham contributed 11 kills and Keylany Matos added eight of her own. On the defensive end, Jordan Palmer tallied 34 digs for the Skyhawks, and Ward followed with 17 digs. Reigning AAC Setter of the Week, Paige Lowe, dished out 42 assists in the Skyhawks' victory.
Up next
Point will return to the court for a Friday night showdown in AAC play against Columbia International University at the West Point Park Gymnasium starting at 6:30 p.m.