WINCHESTER, Va. - Shenandoah University won its second straight
USA South Conference volleyball home match with a 3-0 sweep over
Mary Baldwin Wednesday evening.
Shenandoah (8-3, 2-2 USA South) kept Mary Baldwin winless with
the 25-15, 31-29, 25-18 victory, but the Squirrels didn't go down
easy.
Mary Baldwin (0-13, 0-5) forced 11 ties and five lead changes in
the second and led by as many as many as five points midway through
the set.
Rebecca Mayberry scored seven straight points from the service
line for MBC to give her club that five-point advantage;
fortunately for the Shingleton Gymnasium crowd, the Hornets refused
to fold their tents.
Getting the serve back following a Mary Baldwin attack error, SU
ripped off seven of the next 10 points in the set to tie it at
23-23.
The two teams three times in the remainder of the set and were
tied on six other occasions before Shenandoah finally clinched it
with Haley Smith and Megan Gillispie kills.
The third set was even closer in the early going, with nine ties
and eight lead changes, but a strong serving performance from
Hornets freshman Katy Griffith put the hosts in control to
stay.
Tied at 16 when Griffith stepped to the line, she ran off five
service aces and got two Smith kills along with one MBC attack
error to bring SU to match point.
The Squirrels scored one more point on serve before Smith ended
the match with a kill off of a Brooke Strathy assist.
Smith led all players with a match-high nine kills while
Brittany Harryman added six for the victors.
Gillispie paced the defense with 10 digs.
Melanie Updike had eight kills for Mary Baldwin.
Shenandoah continues USA South Conference play with a USA South
tri-match at Greensboro Saturday against Meredith and the host
Pride.
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