EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Volleyball Team (8-4) hit .374 as a team en route to a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-22) win over Milligan College (6-7) Wednesday evening at the John Rutledge King Center.

E&H dominated the first set of play totaling 14 kills with a .458 hitting percentage compared to just .083 (eight kills) for Milligan. The Wasps opened up an 11-4 lead and never looked back as they went on to win the set by a 25-14 score. Sophomore outside hitter Tristen Pennington (Kingsport, Tenn.) had four kills and three service aces in the frame to lead the Wasps.

In the second stanza, Milligan got out to a 10-4 lead before Emory & Henry clawed its way back to cut the margin to 10-9. The Buffaloes went on another run to lead 15-10 but the Wasps responded with eight straight points for an 18-15 lead. Pennington served eight points in a row while senior middle Anika Constantinescu (Surrey, British Columbia, CANADA) had a five-point serving run as well.

Both teams attacked at a high percentage in the third and final set with Emory & Henry posting a .517 (17-2-29) percentage and Milligan hitting .467 (17-3-30). The winner was in question up until the very last as the frame featured nine ties and two lead changes. With the score tied at 20, Pennington and Constantinescu each notched two kills while junior defensive specialist Madison DeBord (Williamsburg, Va.) added a service ace to put the Wasps over the top, 25-22.

Pennington led all players with 12 kills, six service aces and nine digs, while adding three blocks. Constantinescu and sophomore right side Hannah Doss (Meadowview, Va.) chipped in nine kills each with Constantinescu notching a match-high four blocks. Sophomore middle Kennady Thomason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had seven kills and two blocks as well. Senior setter Maleah Neely (Hillsville, Va.) dished-out 39 assists and added five kills.

Milligan was paced by Emilee Linkou's nine kills while Bailey Thomas and Marissa Langford totaled six kills each. Jessica Davenport totaled 35 assists for the Buffaloes.

Emory & Henry will remain at home on Saturday when it hosts Virginia Wesleyan College and Randolph-Macon College in a pair of Old Dominion Athletic Conference matches. The Wasps will play the Marlins at 11:00 a.m., and finish the day against the Yellow Jackets with a 2:00 p.m., match.

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