Pioneers Battle Hard but Fall in Five at Milligan
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spartanburg Methodist (8-14, 3-6) | 25 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 11 | 2 |
|
Milligan (TN) (4-17, 3-6) | 13 | 28 | 25 | 13 | 15 | 3 |
Elizabethton, Tenn. – Four different members of the Spartanburg Methodist College volleyball team recorded double-digit kills as the Pioneers hit .268 but fell in five sets to host Milligan, 13-25, 28-26, 25-22, 25-13, 15-11, on Friday night.
The Pioneers (8-14, 3-6 AAC), who had won four of their last five matches, came into the contest looking to continue their recent momentum. SMC opened strong, winning the first set with 17 kills and an impressive .483 hitting percentage.
Milligan (4-17, 3-6 AAC) responded by taking the next two sets behind 16 and 14 kills, respectively, to grab a 2-1 advantage.
The fourth set saw the Pioneers regain control, tallying 10 kills and a .214 hitting percentage while holding the Buffs to just seven kills and a -.161 mark to even the match at two sets apiece and force a decisive fifth.
In the final set, Milligan jumped out to an 8-2 lead, but the Pioneers battled back to close the gap to 11-10 following a block by Braelynn Brewington and Hana Vucinic. After Milligan extended the lead to two on the ensuing serve, a Vucinic kill brought SMC within one again at 12-11. However, three straight kills by the Buffs, capped by Shelby Miller, sealed the win for the home team.
Next up, SMC will host Montreat on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Bridges Arena as part of SMC Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night.
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