Danville, Va. — Averett University women's volleyball kicked off Day 1 of the 31st Annual Cougar Classic with two hard-fought matches against McMurry University and Methodist University on Friday in the E. Stuart James Grant Center. The Cougars fell 3-2 to both McMurry University and Methodist University.
In the first match against McMurry, Averett set their pace in the first two sets before making a comeback in the third, winning their first set of the 2025 season.
The Cougars were neck-and-neck with the War Hawks during the third set. Averett was able to keep the lead until a kill by the War Hawks put McMurry ahead. Junior firecracker Sydney Mounce was able to put one past the War Hawks, allowing the Cougars to take their lead back.
Averett had a slow start to the first set, but an attack error on McMurry put the Cougars ahead. The War Hawks tried to creep back up, but the Cougar's momentum was untouchable.
The two teams traded leads throughout the fifth set before McMurry came back to take the set.
Mounce and junior Tahani Villines tied with 13 kills during the first match. Senior setter Dayton Moore conducted 22 assists for the Cougars' offense, while sophomore Megan Litman had 14.
The Cougars showed out on defense. Junior Kadence Woodlief led the first match with 18 kills, junior Ella Jabaley had 15, Villines had 14, and Litman had 12.
In the first set of the second match against Methodist, the Monarchs took an early lead of 5-4, but not until a kill by Villines but the Cougar's back in the race. Averett used strategy and communication, carrying them to a Set 1 victory.
The Cougars kept their fight, leading them to another set won. The Monarchs gained momentum in Set 3, and carried it with them throughout the remainder of the match.
Villines led the Cougars' offense with 13 kills, while Mounce trailed with seven. Moore accumulated 16 more assists, while Litman added 11.
Leading the Cougars' restless defense was Jabaley with 20 digs, while Moore had 15, Woodlief had 12, and Villines had 10.
Averett kicks off Day 2 of the 31st Annual Cougar Classic versus the likes Bob Jones University and William Peace University. Start times are set for 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
