Emory & Henry Volleyball Opens The Season Friday With Two Matches At Emory Classic

Makayla Payne (left) and Chelsie Crussell (right) go up for a block.

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Emory & Henry College Volleyball Team (0-2, 0-0 ODAC) got the season off to a start on Friday afternoon as it played a pair of matches at the Emory Classic. The Wasps opened the day against the Stormy Petrels of Oglethorpe University, falling 3-0, before coming up just short in a five-set thriller, 3-2, against Belhaven University.

The Basics
RESULTS – Oglethorpe 3, Emory & Henry 0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-14)
                    Belhaven 3, Emory & Henry 2 (29-27, 25-15, 15-25, 22-25, 15-11)
LOCATION – Atlanta, Georgia
VENUE – Woodruff P.E. Center
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (0-2, 0-0 ODAC); Oglethorpe (2-0, 0-0 SAA); Belhaven (1-1, 0-0 ASC)

The Oglethorpe Match
- Freshman right-side hitter Carley Williams (Bristol, Tenn.) had five kills while sophomore middle Makayla Payne (Bristol, Va.) and sophomore outside hitter Chelsie Crussell (Kingsport, Tenn.) each added four kills.
- Freshman setters Marissa Snapp (Greeneville, Tenn.) and Abbie Dillon (Goodview, Va.) combined for 11 of the team's 19 assists while senior libero Lauren Coolidge (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) had a match-high 14 digs.

The Belhaven Match
- Sophomore right-side hitter Ashley Clayton (Durham, N.C.) notched nine kills while Williams and Payne added eight and seven kills, respectively. Crussell and sophomore middle Keely Doyle (Lexington, Va.) each had six kills as Doyle added five blocks.
- Dillon put up a team-high 15 assists while Snapp added 10 of her own.
- Coolidge again led the team defensively with 23 digs while sophomore defensive specialist Abbie Jennings (Marion, Va.) had 14 digs and Crussell added 15 digs and four service aces.

Up Next
- Emory & Henry will conclude play in the Emory Classic on Saturday when it faces off against Piedmont College at 4:00 p.m.

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