BELTON, Tex. – The Alverno College volleyball team continued its opening weekend at the UMHB Tournament on Friday, dropping both of its matches at the Mayborn Campus Center. The Inferno fell to Texas Lutheran, 3-0 (25-7, 25-17, 25-18), before battling Millsaps to a fourth set in a 3-1 (25-8, 25-11, 24-26, 25-12) setback.
With the result, Alverno moves to 0-3 on the season and will wrap up the tournament tomorrow, Sept. 5, against LeTourneau at 11:15 a.m.
Texas Lutheran 3, Alverno 0 (25-7, 25-17, 25-18)
Alverno opened Friday's action against Texas Lutheran, falling to the Bulldogs in three sets.
Sophomore
Mary Needham (San Tan Valley, Ariz./Poston Butte) led Alverno offensively with seven kills, while freshman
Olivia McCann (Ennis, Texas/Life High School Waxahachie) added five kills and seven digs. Sophomore
Carley Juneau (Milwaukee, Wis./St. Francis) directed the offense with 12 assists and six digs, while sophomore
Brooklynne Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) recorded five digs and one service ace. Junior
Keegan Russell (South Bend, Ind./Clay) added four digs, and junior
Elyse Kozikowski (Watertown, Wis./Dodgeland) contributed three digs and a service ace.
Texas Lutheran controlled the attack throughout the match, hitting .221 with 34 kills compared to Alverno's 18. The Bulldogs also held advantages in service aces, 14-2, while the Inferno finished with 33 digs and four blocks.
Texas Lutheran jumped out to an early advantage in the opening set, building a 10-5 lead before a lengthy serving run helped the Bulldogs pull away. Alverno was unable to overcome the deficit as Texas Lutheran closed the set, 25-7.
The Inferno showed more fight in the second set, keeping pace early and trailing 5-3 after a Needham kill. Texas Lutheran gradually extended its advantage, however, taking a 16-9 lead before closing out the set, 25-17.
Alverno continued to battle in the third set, staying within striking distance early before the Bulldogs created separation. The Inferno reached 18 points, but Texas Lutheran finished off the sweep with a 25-18 victory.
For Texas Lutheran, Sydney Jones led the attack with six kills while Addison Gallegos finished with 14 assists, six digs, and five service aces.
Millsaps 3, Alverno 1 (25-8, 25-11, 24-26, 25-12)
In the afternoon, Alverno battled Millsaps in a four-set contest, with the Inferno earning their first set victory of the season in a thrilling third-set finish.
Sophomore
Sofia Mitchell (Denver, Colo./Denver School of Science & Technology: Montview) paced the Inferno attack with nine kills on a .333 hitting percentage, also adding four block assists, while Needham added eight kills and three blocks. Juneau recorded nine assists, while sophomore
Beyonca Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) led the team with 11 assists.
Brooklynne Hereford anchored the defense with nine digs, while Needham added five digs and three total blocks.
Millsaps hit .225 as a team with 47 kills, while Alverno finished with 24 kills and a .041 hitting percentage. The Majors also held an 18-3 advantage in service aces, while Alverno finished with 36 digs and 4.5 blocks.
Millsaps established control early in the opening set, using a series of service runs to build a 20-6 advantage. The Majors closed out the set, 25-8.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Millsaps building an early lead before Alverno found some rhythm midway through the frame. The Inferno reached 11 points but could not close the gap as the Majors took the set, 25-11.
Alverno answered in the third set, putting together its strongest stretch of the day. Millsaps led 8-5 before the Inferno began to chip away at the deficit. Alverno eventually tied the set at 20-20, thanks to five straight points, setting up a dramatic finish.
The teams traded points down the stretch, with Millsaps reaching set point at 24-22. Alverno answered with a kill by Needham, then back-to-back attack errors by the Majors, before Needham finished the set with a service ace. The Inferno claimed the third set, 26-24, for their first set victory of the season.
Millsaps responded in the fourth, building an 18-8 advantage before closing out the match with a 25-12 victory.
For Millsaps, Khloe Duncan led all players with 16 kills, while Lily Luneau added eight kills and three blocks. Sandy Bourgeois finished with five service aces and eight digs.
