FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.   Alyssa Wrench paced the Methodist attack with 12 kills Wednesday evening against visiting Guilford College, but the Quakers were able to withstand her assault and escape with a closer-than-the-score-indicated 3-1 non-conference women's volleyball victory.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Guilford def. Methodist 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22)
Records: Methodist 6-17, Guilford 17-7
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The only set that didn't flip-flop back and forth was the opening set, with only two lead changes and two instances where the score was tied. From that point forward, no lead was safe as both teams put up rally after rally to wrest back leads.
• Set No. 2 was a topsy-turvy game in which the lead changed five times and was knotted seven times.
• Trailing 11-7 -- a dangerous score as "7 always catches 11" -- and then 12-7, Methodist fought back with three straight points, including kills from Kendall Craig and Jamie Jones.
• Late in the set it was the Quakers staring at a 23-21 advantage, only to have the Monarchs storm back with four unanswered points to steal the set. Jamie Jones earned a side-out point to initiate the run and Megan Andrews followed with a service ace. A pair of Quaker attacking errors after rallies clinched the game for Methodist and evened the match at a game apiece.
• The third and fourth sets were similar to the second as both teams were able to generate three- or four-point runs, but never quite enough to completely pull away from the other.
• In the third, there were five lead changes and eight ties before Guilford would break the last of those by scoring the final two points of the set.
• There were fewer lead changes in the deciding fourth set, only two, but the Monarchs hung with the Quakers through six ties, the last showing at 21-21 on the scoreboard. Guilford scored two to break the deadlock but an Andrews kill earned a side-out for the Monarchs. Just like in the third set, however, the Quakers finished things off with consecutive points to earn the set and match victory.

MORE NUMBERS

• Wrench tied her season high for kills with her dozen on the night. She also provided three service aces and on defense, came up with six digs, two solo blocks and one block assist.
• Andrews' 10 kills marked the 12th time this season the junior captain has collected at least 10 in a match. Her team-leading 10 digs was also the 12th time she's registered double-digit digs in a match.
• Craig's six kills came with a team-high .286 hitting percentage.
• At least one of the reasons for the Guilford victory includes a 66-53 edge in digs. Three Quakers came up with at least a dozen on the night.
• Guilford gained the majority of its offense from Christian Ritter and Cameron Blankenship who finished with 14 kills apiece, their combined 28 accounting for more than half the team's kills (52) in the victory. Ritter also posted a match-high five service aces.
• Lili Henry propped up 23 set assists for her Monarch attackers to lead the team. Savannah Mullis added an even dozen.

UP NEXT

• The Monarchs will host Greensboro College (12 p.m.) and William Peace University (4 p.m.) in a USA South tri-match Saturday in the Riddle Center. Methodist will be chasing a USA South Tournament spot with at least one win in the tri-match.
• Senior Jamie Jones will celebrate Senior Day with her teammates prior to the William Peace match.