JACKSON, Miss. – The Centre volleyball team and the Millsaps Majors engaged in a wild contest for the second time in 14 days. Just like the prior matchup, the Colonels and Majors went the distance, and just like the prior matchup, Centre came out on top with a dramatic 3-2 victory to remain undefeated in conference play. The win coupled with a loss by Berry means that for the first time in school history, Centre has won a conference championship in volleyball.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- The opening set saw Centre jump out to the early advantage. Centre held onto the lead for most of the set, but Millsaps chipped away and finally captured the lead at 21-20. The Majors eventually completed the comeback with a 25-23 win.
- The second set looked to be a repeat of the first as Centre went ahead early, only to fall behind late at 18-17. This time turned out different as the Colonels stormed back with the final eight points to get the win.
June Padilla had three aces in the 8-0 run, while
Syd Bietz delivered consecutive kills to secure the 25-18 victory for Centre.
- In the third set it was the Majors who grabbed the early lead and kept it. The Colonels stayed close throughout, never falling behind by more than four points, but the home team never trailed and got the win by a score of 25-22.
- With their backs against the wall, the Colonels led for nearly the entire fourth set. Millsaps tied the score six different times, but Centre had an answer each time and pushed the Majors to the brink as a tandem block by Bietz and
Abby Swartz capped off a hard-fought 25-23 win, forcing the fifth and deciding set.
- Millsaps grabbed the early lead in the fifth set, but the momentum shifted as the teams switched sides. Trailing 9-8, Centre outscored Millsaps 7-1 the rest of the way, with
Emily Goddin slamming the door on a 15-10 Centre win with two straight kills.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Bietz led the Colonels with 16 kills.
Hollye Tate hit a new career high with 15 kills while also leading all hitters with a .326 hitting percentage. Swartz added 13 kills and hit .323 for the match.
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Emily Gardner finished with a game high 50 assists while adding ten digs.
- Padilla hit a career milestone as she passed 1,000 career digs, finishing with a career high 44 digs, topping her previous career high of 39 that she set in the first game against Millsaps.
Madi Winfield,
Emersyn Pannell and
Madi Barron joined Padilla and Gardner with double digit digs as Centre finished with a season high 109 digs as a team.
- The Colonels played their best when it mattered most, hitting .350 as a team in the fifth set while limiting Millsaps to .095.
NEXT UP
Centre volleyball will return home next weekend for their final two conference games, beginning with a matchup against Berry on Nov. 2.
