RICHMOND, Ind. – Centre volleyball had another statement weekend on their non-conference schedule as they competed in the Bill Brandes Memorial Tournament. After defeating the host Earlham Quakers in straight sets, the Colonels swept the Saturday doubleheader with a 3-1 win over no. 3 Illinois Wesleyan, matching the record for the highest ranked win in program history.
Game 1: Centre 3, Earlham 0
- Earlham controlled the majority of the opening set as the home team held Centre at bay, answering every rally and keeping the Colonels from getting over the hump. Trailing 21-17, Centre scored five of the next six points, taking the lead on a tandem block from
Mia Casi and
Elise Grundy. The teams traded the next three points to produce a 23-23 tie when Grundy gave the Colonels a set point with a kill and
Emersyn Pannell delivered an ace for a 25-23 win.
- The momentum from the comeback win continued into the second set as Centre grabbed the early lead and gradually extended it for the duration of the set, leading by as many as ten points at 24-14.
Syd Bietz put home the final kill on a 25-18 win to give Centre a 2-0 lead.
- The Colonels scored the first four points of the third set and never relinquished the lead. Centre utilized an 11-1 run to blow it open, taking its largest lead at 20-6.
Delia Long provided the match-clinching kill as Centre completed the sweep with a 25-16 victory.
Game 2: Centre 3, #3 Illinois Wesleyan 1
- The Titans held a small lead for the first half of the opening set before the Colonels exploded with their biggest run of the afternoon, scoring eight straight points to turn a 13-8 deficit into a 16-13 lead, highlighted by consecutive aces from
Campbell Miles. IWU could only manage to cut the deficit to one from that point on as Centre took the first set with a 25-22 win.
- The second set looked to be a repeat of the first as Illinois Wesleyan again grabbed the early lead. The Titans never led by more than four, but although Centre managed to tie the score four times in the late stages, the Colonels could not surge ahead as IWU evened the match with a 25-23 win.
- In the pivotal third set, the Colonels dominated. Centre used a 7-1 spurs in the early going to take a 14-6 lead and never looked back, maintaining the healthy lead and cruising to a 25-17 win.
- Centre kept the momentum from their third set performance as they got off to a hot start in the fourth set. Illinois Wesleyan chipped away at the margin and eventually took the lead at 23-21. With a potential fifth set looming, the Colonels tied the score after a pair of IWU miscues.
Kendra Christopher pushed the match to the brink with a kill and the final IWU attack went awry as Centre secured the match with a 25-23 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- Christopher established a new career high with 21 kills against IWU.
-
Elle B Smith had a combined 68 assists across the doubleheader, finishing with 26 against Earlham and 42 against IWU. In both games Smith finished with more assists than the opposing team.
- Miles's 25 digs against IWU were a team and career high, and the most by a Centre player in a game thus far this season.
- Centre's win over Illinois Wesleyan was the highest ranked win in program history, matching Centre's victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Los Angeles during the historic 2024 season.
NEXT UP
The Colonels will return to action on Sept. 16 when they travel up the road to face Transylvania.
