SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Mollie White recorded a career-high 20 kills and four blocks, while
Savannah Gann notched her fourth double-double of the season with 23 kills and 15 digs as Sewanee outlasted Hendrix in five sets (25-20, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-7) on Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium.
Junior setter Emma Meyer also had a standout performance, posting a career-high 57 assists and 14 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. White hit .250 on her 20 kills, while Suna Merkler posted a .364 hitting percentage with nine kills, and Anna Ellison hit .235 with seven kills. Ellison also led the team with seven total blocks, including two solo blocks. Gann contributed four block assists, while White added three block assists and a solo block. Meyer chipped in with four block assists and two kills.
Sophomore libero Sophia Caruso continued her strong defensive play, recording her fifth match of the season with 20 or more digs, posting 32 on the night.
The Tigers tallied season-best numbers with 65 kills, 11 blocks, 83 digs, and 63 assists in the victory.
Sewanee finished the first set on a six-point run, capped by a block from White and Meyer, to secure a 25-20 win after Hendrix had used an 8-1 run to get back into the set. The Tigers recorded 13 kills and one ace in the opening frame.
In the second set, Sewanee rallied from an early 9-4 deficit to tie the match at 13-13 following a kill from Gann. Despite a late 3-0 run that brought the Tigers within one point at 23-22, two kills from the Warriors closed out the set, 25-23.
The third set was a back-and-forth affair, tied at 10-10 before Hendrix surged ahead with a 6-1 run, capitalizing on two service aces and three Sewanee errors. Trailing 22-19, the Tigers mounted a 5-0 run to earn a set point at 24-22, but Hendrix responded with four straight points, including two service aces, to claim the set 26-24.
The fourth set was the tightest of the match, with neither team building more than a three-point lead. Sewanee ultimately forced a deciding fifth set after White's kill clinched a 25-23 victory. The Tigers recorded 14 kills and seven blocks in the fourth.
In the fifth set, Sewanee registered 10 kills, coming out strong with a 5-1 lead and building a 7-0 run, fueled by four Tiger kills, a service ace from Gann, and two Hendrix errors. Gann sealed the match with a back-row attack, giving the Tigers a 15-7 win.
Sewanee will conclude their four-game conference homestand on Saturday when they face Rhodes at Noon. The Tigers will then hit the road to take on Millsaps on Oct. 27, with match time set for Noon.
