LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Averett University volleyball knocked off Maryville College 3-1 after falling to host Covenant College 3-2 earlier Saturday as part of a USA South Conference quad match.
Averett (16-9, 8-2 USA South) rebounded from its morning loss to Covenant by beating Maryville (10-7. 7-1 USA South) 25-22, 25-22, 20-25 and 25-10. The Cougars won the two sets to take an early lead on Maryville, and the Scots fought back to take the third set. Averett cruised in the fourth set to put Maryville away in four sets, ending Maryville's 49-match conference winning streak.
Averett sophomore
Hannah Shields led Averett's attack with 23 kills and 12 digs, while sophomore
Sarah Smoot added 15 kills in the win. Sophomore
Christiana Summa had 16 digs, freshman
Keenan Marks had 45 assists and 14 digs and seniors
Lindsey Boles and
Katelyn Holley each tallied 11 digs.
The opener proved to be quite the battle between Averett and Covenant (8-9, 6-1 USA South). The Cougars rallied from a 22-20 deficit in the first set to win 25-23. The second set was another tight contest from start to finish. Tied at 24-24, Averett had set point following Shields' kill. Covenant then came back to win the next three points and steal the set 27-25 and tie the match at 1-1.
Covenant took that momentum into the third set, as the Scots led for most of the way. Yet, Averett closed the gap late. Down 23-22, a Shields kill tied the game. The Cougars went ahead by one thanks to an attack error by Covenant, and Holley served up an ace to give Averett the 25-23 win in the set and a 2-1 overall lead heading into the fourth frame.
Averett couldn't put the Scots away, however. Covenant squeaked out a 26-24 win in the fourth set, then built an early lead and held the Cougars off 15-10 in the deciding fifth game.
Shields and Smoot combined for 37 of Averett's 50 kills against Covenant. Shields had 26 to go with her 19 digs. Summa led the Cougars with 29 digs. Boles and Marks added 19 digs and 16 digs, respectively, with Marks making 43 assists.
Averett returns home to face Methodist University at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Grant Center.
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