FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist volleyball team split a pair of USA South matches on Saturday afternoon at the Riddle Center. MU opened with a 3-1 win over Piedmont before falling, 3-2, to Meredith.
 
The Monarchs remained at .500 on the season (13-13) and move to 8-5 in conference play with the split. Methodist opened with a 25-22, 25-17, 21-15, 25-17 win over the Lions (15-10, 7-4 USA South), before falling 18-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18, 15-11 to the Avenging Angels (19-6, 11-2 USA South).
 
In the win over Piedmont, Cassidy Hayes the Monarchs with 21 kills and hit .359. Chyenne Pump added 17 kills and Ryann Appleby chipped in 13 kills for MU. Maggie Harris poured in a season-high 61 assists, just three shy of the school's single-match record.
 
Defensively, Karly Klimas had 23 digs, and Harris added 14 digs. Hayes also had a pair of blocks and was one of four different players with at least two service aces.
 
Piedmont was led by Jennifer Opper, who had 16 kills with just one hitting error and hit .517. Mallory Leary had eight kills, and Amanda Trotter chipped in six. Xandy Green had 25 assists, and Kait Steele added 16. The Lions were led on the defensive side by Randee Harvel, who had 20 digs, while Leary added a pair of solo blocks.
 
In the loss to Meredith, Hayes turned in another fantastic outing with 23 kills and eight digs. Taylar Stafford added 10 kills, Appleby and Pump had nine kills apiece, and Breanna Graham chipped in eight. Harris contributed 51 assists and three service aces, while posting 17 digs.
 
Karly Klimas notched a team-best 25 digs, and Pump had 14. At the net, Appleby led the team with three blocks.
 
For Meredith, Karlie Long, the reigning USA South Rookie of the Year led the way with 34 kills on 74 attempts. Emily Hendricks added 11 kills and Hannah Blaylock had 55 assists. Long also chipped in 14 digs, a pair of service aces and three blocks.
 
Emery McGee led the team with 17 digs, while Blaylock and Jessica Goodwin each matched Long with 14. Jasmine Aguinaldo had six total blocks, and April Hausler had four.
 
Methodist is back in action on Wednesday when they travel to William Peace for a 7:00 pm contest.