ROANOKE, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Volleyball Team (7-4, 1-0 ODAC) opened league play with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-12) win over Hollins University Tuesday evening on the road. The Wasps hit .274 (48-14-124) as a team en route to the win.

In the first set, the two team traded points to a 12-12 tie. Emory & Henry gained the advantage, going up 16-13 and never looked back as it went on to win the first set by a 25-18 score. Sophomore outside hitter Tristen Pennington (Kingsport, Tenn.) had five kills in the opening stanza for the Wasps.

E&H kept things going in the second frame. Down 10-8, the Wasps scored four straight points to get back on top and never relinquished the lead again. Sophomore middle Kennady Thomason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had five kills in the set while Pennington and sophomore right side hitter Hannah Doss (Meadowview, Va.) added four kills each.

The third and final set was all Emory & Henry. After getting out to a 4-0 lead the Wasps found themselves up 10-14 midway through the set. A nine-point run gave E&H the momentum to Hollins away by a 25-12 score and take the match.

Pennington finished the match with 15 kills and added 15 digs to complete the double-double. Thomason added 12 kills and a pair of blocks while Doss had eight kills, 19 digs and three blocks. Senior middle Anika Constantinescu (Surrey, British Columbia, CANADA) added eight kills, five digs, two service aces and two blocks. Senior setter Maleah Neely (Hillsville, Va.) dished out 36 assists while sophomore lilbero Emily Hinshaw (Boone, N.C.) had 16 digs.

Hollins was paced by Jessie Deese' seven kills and 15 digs while Lauren Hayes added seven kills of her own. Lela Moore notched 19 assists and Haley Ortiz tallied 15 digs. As a team, Hollins hit just .088 (27-16-125).

Emory & Henry will have a quick turnaround before its next match as it will host Milligan College at the John Rutledge King Center on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m.

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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15