DANVILLE, Va. — Eight total points was all that separated No. 2 seed Averett University and No. 4 seed Randolph-Macon College in Sunday's 2022 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament Championship hosted in the Grant Center. Yet, the Yellow Jackets finished with a 3-0 victory in an intense nail-biter that was worthy of a title game atmosphere.
Randolph-Macon (23-6) edged Averett (20-11) by scores of 26-24, 25-21 and 26-24 to earn the ODAC's tournament championship and automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
With an electric crowd behind them all night, the Cougars came out strong in the first set and opened with a 15-10 advantage. Randolph-Macon made a run to get back within a point multiple times to stay close. Averett had set point multiple times, but each time Randolph-Macon staved off defeat before taking the final four points to steal the frame 26-24.
The second set was just as tight as the two teams battled back and forth. Averett inched ahead 20-19 but Randolph-Macon again made a late rally to take the next five points before winning 25-21 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Down 2-0, Averett kept fighting. Trailing 18-15 in the third set, the Cougars strung together four consecutive points to take an 19-18 lead. From there, the two teams remained tied or within a point of each other to get to 24-24. Randolph-Macon won the next to points to seal the set and the match as the Yellow Jackets stormed the court in celebration.
Averett juniors
Erin Gray and
Emma Nash joined Randolph-Macon's Leslie Currie, Mia Zazzero and Grace Parker on the 2022 ODAC All-Tournament Team, along with Roanoke College's Kennedy Clemmer and Washington and Lee University's Caroline Gard.
Gray finished with 21 digs while Nash had seven kills and 10 digs in the championship match. Junior
Sarah Marlowe led Averett with 11 kills and three block assists, senior
Morgan Barnes had nine kills with three total blocks and sophomore
Kinsley Stevens had a double-double of 23 assists and 12 digs. Junior
Destiny McIntosh led the team with two solo blocks and three block assists.
Parker led Randolph-Macon with 13 kills to go with 12 digs and five block assists.
The loss ended a tremendous season and tournament run for Averett, which made its debut in the ODAC this fall. The Cougars finished second in the standings despite being picked fourth in the preseason poll in head coach
Olivia Earls' first season at the helm.
2022 ODAC All-Tournament Team
Erin Gray, Averett
Emma Nash, Averett
Leslie Currie, Randolph-Macon
Mia Zazzero, Randolph-Macon
Grace Parker, Randolph-Macon
Kennedy Clemmer, Roanoke
Caroline Gard, Washington and Lee
