Sewanee defeats Covenant on the road, 3-1

Box Score SEWANEE, Tenn. – Savannah Gann recorded 16 kills, and Sophia Caruso recorded 21 digs, as the Tigers opened the 2026 season with a 3-1 victory over Covenant on Tuesday night at the Barnes PE Center in Lookout Mountain, Ga.

Gann led the Sewanee attack with 16 kills on 29 attempts while hitting .310. The senior also recorded two service aces, nine digs, and a block to finish with 18.5 points. Anna Ellison added 14 kills on 28 attacks and hit .357, while Suna Merkler recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Maria Kennedy contributed eight kills and added three blocks, while Elena Sipe posted six kills and three blocks. Mollie White added four kills and two blocks.

Sewanee's offense was directed by Jordan Krise and Estela Gonzalez, who recorded 27 and 17 assists, respectively. Krise also added four digs and a service ace, while Gonzalez recorded three digs and an ace.

Caruso anchored the Sewanee defense with 21 digs, while Merkler added 11 and Gann finished with nine. As a team, the Tigers recorded 53 digs and held Covenant to a .178 hitting percentage.

The Tigers opened the match with a 25-22 victory in the first set, hitting .333 with 19 kills. Gann recorded five kills in the frame, while Ellison added four and Merkler contributed three as Sewanee took an early lead in the match.

The second set was a back-and-forth battle, as Sewanee pulled out a 30-28 victory. Ellison led the Tigers with five kills, as Sewanee recorded 17 in the frame. Gann and Merkler each added four kills, while Gann recorded back-to-back kills to secure the second set.

Covenant responded in the third set, putting together a 10-4 run to take an early lead and eventually running away with the set to cut Sewanee's lead to 2-1.

Sewanee again started slow in the fourth set, as Covenant got out to an early 8-2 lead. The Tigers battled back with a 14-4 run to take a four-point lead, 18-14. Covenant tied the set at 22-22 before a service error, and an ace from Kennedy gave the Tigers match point. A Sewanee service error got Covenant within one, but Ellison secured the win with a kill for a 25-23 final set.

Sewanee will host the Sewanee Invitational this weekend and will face Lynchburg on Friday at 6 p.m., North Park on Saturday at 10 a.m., and Transylvania at 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Sophia Caruso: L/DS; 5' 1"; Junior

#8 Anna Ellison: MB; 6' 1"; Junior

#18 Savannah Gann: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#5 Maria Kennedy: OH; 5' 10"; Junior

#14 Suna Merkler: OH; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#9 Mollie White: OH; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#6 Estela Gonzalez: S; 5' 8"; Freshman

#20 Jordan Krise: S/H; 5' 10"; Freshman

#16 Elena Sipe: MB; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Sophia Caruso
: 5' 1"; Junior
: L/DS

#8 Anna Ellison
: 6' 1"; Junior
: MB

#18 Savannah Gann
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#5 Maria Kennedy
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OH

#14 Suna Merkler
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: OH

#9 Mollie White
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: OH

#6 Estela Gonzalez
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: S

#20 Jordan Krise
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: S/H

#16 Elena Sipe
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: MB