BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College Tornados Volleyball team (0-4) hosted its home-opener on Friday evening at the Boshamer Gymnasium, claiming the first two sets before eventually falling, 3-2, to the visiting Emory & Henry Wasps (2-2).
Sophomores Sydney Fox and Brook Groves led the attack for the Tornados offensively, as the pair each drove home 11 kills. Freshman Breanna O'Shields added nine kills to the offensive effort.
Junior setter Hannah Gordon dished out a match-high 35 assists for Brevard, while sophomore Mariana Rodriguez tallied 33 digs. Gordon and sophomore Morgan Graham each reached double-digit digs at 10 apiece.
Fox and junior Raley Shirey each recorded a solo and assisted block on the evening.
Both sides battled through the first set, where the Tornados escaped with a 27-25 victory. The Tornados, who trailed at one point 9-2, stormed back to cut the deficit to within four points at 12-8, using a 6-3 point stretch to get there. Brevard further battled back in the set, eventually knotting things up at 18-18 when Groves drove home a Rodriguez pass for a kill. After the Wasps reclaimed the lead, 22-19, the Tornados fought back with four-straight points to reclaim a 23-22 lead. Another Groves kill on match point kept the Tornados' hopes alive and tied the set at 25-25, and two costly attack errors by the Wasps gave the Tornados the set win.
Brevard clinched the second set in a similar fashion, earning a 25-23 set win to take the lead, 2-0, in the match. Led by three-straight service aces from Rodriguez, the Tornados jumped out to an early 8-3 lead, forcing a Wasps timeout. Emory & Henry regained its footing, as the two sides from there battled back-and-forth through the second set. Groves, who's 11 kills marked a new career-high, earned the second set's winning point on a kill.
Emory & Henry stormed back in the third set, however, controlling the set throughout for a 25-19 victory. The Wasps' early 11-3 advantage was too much for the Tornados to overcome, despite several efforts to cut into the deficit. BC held a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set.
Brevard battled back in the fourth set, eventually tying the Wasps, 24-24, after both sides traded leads through a majority of the set. Trailing 24-22, the Tornados earned two big back-to-back points on miscues from the Wasps. With the score at 24 all, two-straight Emory & Henry Kills sealed Brevard's fate in the fourth set. The match went on to a deciding fifth set.
From there, Emory & Henry closed out the come-from-behind victory by controlling the fifth set with a 15-7 win to secure the match victory, 3-2.
There are plenty of opportunities to catch the Tornados live over the next two days at the Boshamer Gymnasium on the campus of Brevard College. First, the Tornados take on Salem College on Friday evening at 6 p.m. before Brevard hosts a tri-match on Saturday afternoon. The Tornados open play on Saturday at 12 p.m. when they take on Piedmont International. The Bruins of Piedmont International will face Guilford College in neutral-site action at 2 p.m. before tri-match concludes with Guilford and Brevard at 4 p.m.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados'' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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