By Drew Wilson/Sports Information Director


STAUNTON, Va. — Averett volleyball defeated Mary Baldwin College 3-1 for a USA South Conference road victory on Tuesday night.

Averett (8-7, 3-1 USA South) won 25-15, 18-15, 25-19 and 25-13.

Averett opened with a dominant first set. The Cougars hit .385 as a team and cruised to a 25-15 win. Set 2 wasn't as easy for Averett as Mary Baldwin (0-14, 0-4 USA South) shocked the Cougars in that frame. The Squirrels tallied a .355 hitting percentage while Averett managed to hit just .118 for the set. Although Averett made a rally late, it couldn't make up the distance and fell 25-18.

Averett bounced back to take a lead in the third set until Mary Baldwin battled back to tie it at 18-18. The Cougars responded by going on a big run to take seven of the last eight points and win 25-19.

The momentum carried over into the fourth set as Averett raced out to a 10-2 lead. The pesky Squirrels didn't go away though as Mary Baldwin fought back to tie it 11-11 and again at 12-12. Yet, Averett all but closed the door with 12 consecutive points with senior Nicole Barringer on the serve. After Mary Baldwin broke the streak, Barringer got the match-clinching kill as the Cougars won 25-13.

Freshman Hannah Shields led the Cougars with 21 kills and 11 digs, while freshman Sarah Smoot finished with 16 kills. Barringer tallied 37 assists and team-highs of 16 digs and four service aces. Freshman Christiana Summa and junior Katelyn Holley added 12 digs and 11 digs, respectively. Junior Leslie Fulton and sophomore Brittany Daley controlled the net with three blocks each.

Averett will host former conference foe Christopher Newport University, ranked ninth in the nation by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Grant Center.