Tornados Split Tri-Match with Win Over LaGrange

Tornados Split Tri-Match with Win Over LaGrange

BREVARD, N.C. – Stephanie Lambert drove home eight kills and Hannah Elmore added seven, but it was the combination of a well-balanced offense and solid defense that provided Maryville with a 28-26, 25-20, 25-10 victory in the second game of Saturday's tri-match at Boshamer Gym on Saturday.

The Scots (8-8) halted Brevard's four-match winning streak behind nine kills from Bia Haller and eight off the hand of Brianne Sidner. Maryville finished with 38 kills (.185 attack percentage).

Brevard was led individually by the combination of Maggie Weiss (24 digs), Bri Vargas (eight digs) and Lambert (two assisted blocks) on defense.

Maryville seized its opportunity to complete the sweep by virtue of grabbing a 13-8 lead midway through the third set. A Brevard attack error put Taylor Youell in serve and the Scots responded by scoring the next seven unanswered points to move in front 20-9.

Brevard briefly halted Maryville's offensive rhythm with a slam by Lambert, as the Scots scored five of the next six points to complete the victory.

With its offense clicking on all cylinders from a first set rally, Maryville streaked out to a 13-6 advantage in the second behind Youell in serve. The Scots took advantage of two blocks each by Dejane Hester-Taylor and Lauren Espinal as they grabbed the lead.

A slam from Ruble, quickly followed by two Maryville attack errors with McElroy in serve, allowed Brevard to trim the lead to 19-15. The Scots were able to offset two kills by Lambert down the stretch to close out the second set by five points.

The two teams evenly traded the first 20 points of the opening set, reaching a 10-all tie following a Maryville block. Brevard rebounded behind the trio of Weiss, Lambert and DeMoss to assume a 16-11 lead.

With the Tornados leading 22-18 late in the game, Maryville regrouped during its final timeout and responded with three kills and a service ace to pull even with four unanswered points. A slam by Elmore pushed Brevard in front, 25-24, but Maryville answered with a block and used kills down the stretch by Wyttenbach and Sidner to complete the two-point win.

BREVARD 3, LaGRANGE 0

Brevard opened the afternoon with a sweep of LaGrange by scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-18 behind a solid offensive performance from the duo of Stephanie Lambert (12 kills) and Hannah Elmore (11).

Lambert's double-digit kill performance resulted in a .357 attack percentage, while Elmore committed only three miscues in 34 attempts to post a .235 attack percentage. Josie McElroy finished with 33 assists, guiding Brevard to a .190 team attack percentage.

Brevard took advantage of solid defensive performances by Maggie Weiss (19 digs), Bri Vargas (12 digs), Lambert (four blocks; three assisted) and Rachel Ruble (three assisted blocks) to shut down the Panther's offense. LaGrange managed only 34 kills in 126 attempts (.040 hitting percentage).

The back-and-forth battle that ensued for a bulk of the second set carried into the opening stages of the third as it a Maggie Ivester service ace resulted in LaGrange's eighth point. The Panthers scored the next three points, taking a 12-8 lead, before Brevard stormed back behind two service aces from Weiss to knot the contest at 12.

Teammate Kathryn Beasley continued Brevard's good fortune in serve, recording an ace and forcing a pair of Panther miscues as the Tornados stretched their lead to 20-14. Three kills down the stretch by the Tornados, including two off the hand of Elmore, provided Brevard with its fourth sweep of the season.

LaGrange rebounded from a tough opening frame to grab an 8-4 lead in the second set, capitalizing on four Tornado miscues. A slam by Whitney DeMoss along with two unforced Panther errors allowed Brevard to know the score at 11-all.

The two units traded the next 10 points with neither able to lead by more than two as the game reached a 21-21 deadlock on a block from DeMoss and Ruble. After a final 23-all tie, following a kill from Lambert, LaGrange committed back-to-back attack errors to give the Tornados the two-point victory.

Lambert drove home three kills and assisted on a pair of blocks as Brevard grabbed a 10-3 lead early in the opening set. LaGrange retaliated with an 8-3 run, highlighted by a kill from Samantha James, before the Tornado offense regained its previous form with a series of kills by DeMoss as it assumed 17-12 lead.

Elmore was responsible for three kills in Brevard's next six points as the lead grew to 23-15. Ruble followed by driving a strike past the LaGrange offense and teamed with Lambert on a block for the decisive point in the first set.

Brevard returns to the court on Wednesday, Oct. 4 when it plays host to Agnes Scott at 6 p.m.