SALISBURY, N.C. – The Catawba women's volleyball team opened South Atlantic Conference (SAC) play on Saturday afternoon at Goodman Arena by hosting UVA Wise. After a back-and-forth match, the Cavaliers came out victorious 3-2 after five sets.
Catawba (4-1, 0-1 SAC) used a balanced attack both offensively and defensively. Freshman outside hitter Alani Kincaid turned in a strong performance with 12 kills on a .273 percentage, a solo block and four block assists. Both Maggie Ayers and Rebekah Ayers finished with nine kills. Camden Bizot and Romey Gaeta notched 16 and 15 assists, respectively. Rebekah Ayers, Madi McIlwain and Lauren Patrick all assisted on five blocked attacks. Bizot (11) and Lillie Kate Rogers (10) both found double figures in digs.
UVA Wise (2-3, 1-1 SAC) was more successful in the service category, totaling 12 aces to Catawba's six. The Cavaliers were more efficient attacking, hitting a .152 percentage to the blue and white's .124. The Catawba Indians held strong at the net, out-blocking UVA Wise 13-11.
Catawba jumped out to an early 7-5 lead in the first set after capitalizing on some UVA Wise errors. However, the Cavaliers quickly went on a 15-3 scoring run to build a comfortable lead. Giulia Allison created a spark after a service ace and a kill from Maggie Ayers, but UVA Wise hung on to win the set 25-17.
The Catawba Indians delivered another great start to a set, this time in the second stanza, to build an 8-1 lead. Kincaid delivered four kills and a block assist, while the Ayers twins (Maggie and Rebekah) combined for four kills and three block assists in a dominant 25-13 finish to the second frame.
The third set played out identically to the first. Catawba led 10-9 near halfway through before UVA Wise went on a 16-5 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Cavaliers carried the momentum early in the fourth set, racing out to an 11-3 lead. Catawba displayed a great deal of resilience, clawing back to even the score at 15 with strong efforts from Sofia Beard, Maggie Ayers and Kincaid. After back-and-forth points from both teams to nod things up at 24, Catawba took the lead on an attack error. Maddie Henning and Rebekah Ayers then forced a fifth set with an emphatic block at the net.
UVA Wise, however, executed well in the final frame, converting seven kills on a .286 hitting percentage to win the set 15-8 and hand Catawba just its first loss of the season.
Catawba will continue SAC play on Tuesday, September 8, when they host Emory & Henry at Goodman Arena at 6 p.m.
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Catawba College
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