SEWANEE, Tenn. – Savannah Gunn posted 16 kills,
Suna Merkler added 10 and
Sophia Caruso and
Emma Meyer combined for 29 digs in a 3-1 Sewanee win over Rhodes College in volleyball action Saturday in Mount Berry, Ga.
In the second match of the day the Tigers dropped a 3-0 decision to 12
th-ranked Trinity University.
In the opening match against Rhodes, the Tigers also collected two solo blocks and 14 block assists, including four by
Anna Ellison.
Gann and Merkler recorded kills for a 7-6 edge in the opening set before the Lynx ran off eight of the next 10 points.
Mollie White and Gann collected kills and Meyer and Ellison combined for a block during a 6-3 spurt for Sewanee, pulling within, 17-15, and a late run got the Tigers within, 24-23, thanks to kills from
Maria Kennedy and White, but Rachel Clarke posted the final point for the Lynx in the set.
Ellison and Merkler registered kills and Meyer and Ellison combined for a block to start the second set, giving Sewanee a 6-3 advantage, but Rhodes answered with four consecutive points. The Tigers then won seven straight points behind kills from Merkler, White and Kennedy and a block from White and Kennedy for a 14-8 lead.
White and Gann collected kills and Ellison added one as well, keeping the advantage at six points (18-12) before the Lynx reeled off five straight, pulling within a point. Sewanee answered with a 6-0 run thanks to two blocks from Meyer and Ellison and kills by Merkler and Gann. Merkler delivered the final kill of the set.
The Tigers netted five of the first six points of the third set behind two kills from Gann and one apiece by Kennedy and White. Gann posted a kill and a service ace and Merkler added a kill for a 9-3 advantage. Sewanee pushed the lead to 16-5 behind three kills from Merkler, one by White and a block from White and Kennedy. Gann registered two kills and Ellison collected three more, including the final point of the set.
Rhodes answered with a 10-0 spurt to begin the fourth set, which included five service aces. The Tigers cut the deficit in half thanks to a kill by Kennedy and a block from Kennedy and Gann and a 9-1 run put Sewanee in front. Gann registered five kills and Ellison added one during the stretch.
Gann and Ellison and then Gann and Kennedy posted kills, stretching the lead to 19-14, but Rhodes pulled within, 20-18. Sewanee reeled off five of the final six points, including kills by White and Kennedy.
White paced the Tigers with 11 kills and Caruso collected 14 digs in the three-set loss to Trinity.
Two kills by White and one from Gann gave Sewanee a 5-2 edge in the first set and another kill by White and two blocks from Gann and Ellison extended the advantage to 9-3. Trinity recorded five of the next six points and then the teams traded points, with Merkler, Kennedy and White each registering kills and the Tigers hanging onto a 15-12 lead.
Gann and Merkler added kills and Sewanee led 18-15 before three straight points by Trinity knotted the set at 18. Trinity pulled in front, 21-19, but kills from White and Gann and a service ace from White pushed the Tigers back ahead, 23-22. A pair of attack errors gave Trinity the opening set, 27-25.
Merkler and Meyer registered kills and Ellison and Gann posted another block early in the second set before kills by Merkler and White put the Tigers in the lead, 9-7. Kennedy and Gann tallied kills and a service error tied the set at 12. Trinity won eight of the next 10 points and 13 of the final 17 in the set.
White collected two kills and Gann and Ellison posted one apiece early in the third set and a service ace by Gann made it 8-7 Sewanee. Ellison's kill tied the score at nine before a 6-0 spurt by Trinity.
Sewanee answered with a kill from Merkler and two each by White and Gann, pulling within, 18-15, but that was as close as the Tigers would get. Trinity registered seven of the last nine points to finish the match.
Sewanee takes on host Berry College on Sunday at Noon CT to complete a two-week set of pod-play to begin conference action.
