DANVILLE, Ky. – Playing without several key contributors, the Centre volleyball team earned its first victory of the season in its home opener against the Rhodes Lynx. Centre split with the Lynx on the day, winning in four sets before losing in three.
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS
 
- Rhodes used a 6-1 run midway through the opening set to take a lead that it would not relinquish. The Colonels cut the deficit to within a point on three separate occasions, but could not push through to take the lead as the Lynx took the first set 25-22.
- Tied at 8-8 in the second set, Centre scored seven of the next eight points to take the lead. Rhodes rallied to even the score at 18-18, but following a timeout, the Colonels scored the next four. The Lynx fought off set point three straight times until Katie Hall put home the final kill on  25-23 win to even the match.
- In the pivotal third set, the Colonels played from behind for much of the frame, scoring five in a row to take a 21-19 lead thanks to a pair of kills from Savanna Roper and a pair of blocks sandwiched in between. Rhodes withstood set points and forced the set into extra points, but Centre quickly ended the set as Alice Rodgerson came through with a block and a kill on consecutive points to provide the 27-25 margin.
- The Colonels opened the fourth set with seven consecutive points. Rhodes slowly battled back and once again stretched the set beyond its limit, but a kill from Hall and an error by the Lynx finished off the match with a 26-24 win for the Colonels.
 
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS
 
- Rhodes began the first set the same way Centre began the previous one at the end of game 1, scoring the first seven points. Centre chipped away at the lead, cutting the deficit to 17-15, but Rhodes never let them get closer, winning 25-17.
- In a very tightly contested second set, the lead for either team largely remained under three points. Leading 19-18, Rhodes scored four of the next five to build a slight cushion, eventually winning 25-21.
- The third set played out in a similar fashion, with the teams trading the lead on numerous occasions. Rhodes rallied to take a 24-22 lead, but Centre fought off consecutive match points and forced a set point on a tandem block by Hall and Roper. The Lynx responded with three straight points of their own to take the match with a 27-25 win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
 
- Roper's 17 kills in the first game tied for a game high and represented a career high for the senior. Rookie Madison McCabe hit double digit kills in both games, racking up a combined 22 for the day.
- The Colonels held an 11-3 advantage in aces in their game 1 victory, led by Meredith Phillips with four. She also finished with 74 assists across the two games to lead all players, including a season high 47 in game 1.
- Madi Barron led the Colonels in digs in both games, combining for 47.

NEXT UP

Centre will hit the road next week with a doubleheader at Millsaps on Mar. 13.