ATLANTA – Centre volleyball began its 2023 season with the first of two doubleheaders at the Jenny McDowell Invitational at Emory. The Colonels swept Greensboro in three sets before falling to no. 13 Emory in three.
 
Game 1: Centre 3, Greensboro 0
 
- The Colonels took the early lead in the opening set on the strength of a pair of Aces by Madi Winfield. With the score tied at 10-10, Centre reeled off seven of the next eight points and never looked back, securing a 25-16 win as Emily Goddin scored the clinching kill.
- In the second set, Centre took the lead on the first point and never trailed, blowing it open with an 8-0 run late in the set as Goddin put home another clinching kill on a 25-13 victory for the Colonels.
- The third set was the closest of the match as neither team was able to create much of a cushion. Eventually the Colonels scored seven straight points to finally create some distance as an ace by Olivia Chojnacki gave the Colonels a 25-20 victory to wrap up the clean sweep.
 
Game 2: #13 Emory 3, Centre 0
 
- The Eagles used an early run of five straight to take the lead for good in the opening set as they gradually built their lead and defeated the Colonels by a score of 25-14.
- The second set saw Emory score seven in a row to blow open a close game at the midway point to go up 19-11. This time, the Colonels battled back with a massive run of their own as Centre scored ten of the next 11 points to take the lead at 21-20. From there, Emory rallied to score the next five to take the set at 25-21 and go up 2-0.
- In the third set, the Colonels grabbed the early lead before Emory used a 7-1 run to take control of the match and seal the deal with a 25-16 victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
 
- Goddin led all players with a dozen kills in game 1, followed by rookie Syd Bietz with seven. Goddin and Bietz each led Centre with six kills in game 2.
- Emily Gardner posted a game high 19 assists against Greensboro, with Winfield adding 11. Gardner and Winfield then combined for 20 assists against Emory.
- Centre held a 56-45 edge in digs in game 1, with the seniors leading the way as Madi Barron led all players with 16, followed by Brooke Palmer with 12. Barron's ten digs against Emory gave her double digit digs for both games.
- The Colonels also finished with a dozen aces against Greensboro, with Goddin and Winfield leading the way with three each.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Colonels will wrap up play at the Jenny McDowell Invitational with two more games on Saturday as they take on East Texas Baptist and Greenville.