ATLANTA – The Centre volleyball team played its longest match of the year, pushing the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels to a fifth and deciding set and then winning that set in extra points to improve to 5-7 on the year and 2-2 in conference play.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Oglethorpe jumped out to a 9-1 lead to begin the first set. The Colonels rallied to pull to within 12-10, but the Petrels answered every Centre comeback attempt after that and won by a score of 25-17.
- In the second set, Centre jumped out to the early lead thanks to three consecutive aces by Josie Grace-Mudd. The Colonels led the rest of the way and won 25-17 after Katie Hall converted the final kill.
- The third set saw the Stormy Petrels gradually build their lead halfway through, breaking it open with a late 5-0 run to go up 23-15. The Colonels scored the next four points to cut the deficit in half, but Oglethorpe responded with the final two points of the set to take a 25-19 victory and push the Colonels to the brink.
- Trailing 14-11 in the fourth set, the Colonels began their push, scoring the next five points to take the lead at 16-14. The Petrels cut the lead to a single point at 22-21, but Alice Rodgerson delivered a clutch kill, and then after an ace from Meredith Phillips, Rodgerson put home the final kill to give Centre the 25-21 win and forced the match into the fifth set.
- Much like the fourth set, Oglethorpe took the early lead in the fifth set, going up by as many as three points at 10-7. The Colonels scored the next four points to take the lead and forced a match point at 14-13. After an Oglethorpe block tied the score and forced the set into extra points, the Colonels responded as Savanna Roper put Centre on top with a kill and then Rodgerson put home the final kill for a 16-14 Colonels victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Rodgerson finished with a career high 17 kills to lead all players. Roper added a dozen kills, while Grace-Mudd contributed double digit kills as well with ten.
- Phillips finished with a game high 37 assists.
- Peyton Vacala led all players with 25 digs, with Rodgerson adding 14. Grace-Mudd and Aby Dallas tied a game high, assisting on four blocks each.
- The Colonels finished with 12 aces for the match, led by Grace-Mudd with four and Rodgerson and Phillips with three each.
NEXT UP
Centre volleyball will be back in action tomorrow as they travel to no. 7 Berry.
