Women's Volleyball | 9/18/2013 10:01:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Methodist volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Meredith in the Monarchs' home opener on Wednesday evening at the Riddle Center.
 
Methodist (3-7, 0-1 USA South) dropped the first set, 25-19, before rallying to even the match at 1-1 with a 25-22 win in the second set. The Avenging Angels (6-5, 1-0 USA South) countered with a 25-22 win in the third set, and then sealed the match with a 25-14 win in the fourth set.
 
In the first set, MU's Allison Graves pulled MU to within three points (15-12) before Meredith used an 8-1 run to stretch its lead out to 23-13 following a service ace by Jasmine Aguinaldo. MU answered with a 6-1 run to pull within five points at 24-19 before Molly Markley ended the set with a kill from Clarke Glendenning.
 
In the second set, the Monarchs used a 9-2 run midway through to break a 9-9 tie and assume an 18-11 lead. The Avenging Angels inched to within three points (18-15) following three consecutive hitting errors by the Monarchs. Methodist's lead shrunk to a single point (22-21) after back-to-back kills by Markley, but a pair of kills by MU's Emily Krochmal coupled with an MC attack error provided the final points for the MU win.
 
The third set was another tightly-contested one as the two teams were tied at 20-20 courtesy of a kill by Methodist's Brittany Lewis. However, Meredith scored five of the next seven points, sealing the set on a Lewis serving error.
 
In the fourth and final set, Meredith rallied from a 10-9 deficit to assume a 20-13 lead on a kill by Katelyn Rall. Consecutive service aces by Aguinaldo presented MC with match point and Rall finished off the action with a kill from Anna Hayes.
 
Graves led the Monarchs with 21 kills for the match, and Krochmal and Lewis added 14 and 10, respectively. Risa Smith directed the offense with 38 assists and added 11 digs. Karly Klimas finished with a match-high 23 digs. Graves and Ryanne Greer chipped in a pair of service aces apiece.
 
For Meredith, Karlie Long led the way with 19 kills and hit a robust .444 (19K-3E-36A). Clarke Glendenning had 17 assists and Anna Hayes added 12, while Emery McGee led the defense with 14 digs. Long added 11 digs, and Aguinaldo had nine total blocks, including four solo efforts.
 
The Monarchs are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Ferrum for a 10:00 am match followed by a 2:00 pm engagement with Averett.