EMORY, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Volleyball Team (9-5) avenged an early-season loss to Southern Virginia University (9-5) Thursday night as the Wasps defeated the Knights by a 3-2 score. E&H won by set scores of 25-20, 22-25, 17-25, 27-25 and 15-8.
Emory & Henry built a 14-9 lead in the first set. Southern Virginia made a late run to close the gap but the Wasps hung on thanks to five kills and two blocks by junior outside hitter Morgan Grant (Abingdon, Va.) in the frame.
The second set seemed like it would go the same way as the first. E&H led 11-6 early in the set, but Southern Virginia scored 11 of the next 13 points to take control at 17-13. The Wasps would tie the score at 20 points apiece, but wouldn't lead again in the set as the Knights went on to win 25-22.
Southern Virginia took the third set to go up 2-1 in the match. The Knights reeled off three runs of four or more points including a seven-point swing late to go up 22-9. Emory & Henry would not go down quietly, however. The Wasps scored seven straight points of their own to close the gap to 22-16, thanks to three kills by junior outside hitter Jamie Cockerham (Galax, Va.) and two service aces by sophomore middle Nicole Tesh (Boone, N.C.). Southern Virginia went on to a 25-17 win in the stanza.
The fourth set gave the fans all they could desire as there were 10 ties and four lead changes in it alone. Neither team led by more than four points the entire way and the score was tied at 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 as both sides struggled to gain an advantage. In the end, two kills by junior middle Kimmie Caudill (Galax, Va.) and an attacking error by the Knights gave the set win to the Wasps, forcing a fifth set.
In the deciding stanza, E&H got out to an early 3-1 lead and never looked back as they pushed the score to 8-4 at the switch. The closest SVU would get would be 10-7, but thanks to five kills by Grant and a perfect three-for-three from Cockerham, Emory & Henry took the fifth set and the match to complete their quest for revenge.
Cockerham led the Wasps with a match-high 20 kills. Grant added 19 kills while Caudill had 10 kills and a team-high four blocks. Sophomore setter Fallon Davis (Mooresville, N.C.) dished-out 47 assists in the contest while senior libero Sam Lucado (Salem, Va.) and senior defensive specialist Selena Trichel (Bristol, Va.) had 13 and 10 digs, respectively. Tesh finished the contest with a career-high seven aces.
Southern Virginia saw four players reach double figures in kills, paced by Brynn McGinn (17) while Tori Tuttle had 15 and Camille Tua and Bryndy Christenson recorded 10 kills each. Nicole Gwynn tallied 42 assists in the match while Shyanne Ison notched a match-high 16 assists.
The Wasps will travel to Ferrum College on Monday for a 7:00 p.m. contest with the Panthers.