FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Megan Andrews led Methodist volleyball with 25 kills on the day but the host Monarchs were unable to come away with a victory in either of their matches Saturday in the USA South Athletic Conference tri-match featuring visiting Greensboro College and visiting William Peace University.

Methodist had the Pride on the ropes in the opening match of the day before Greensboro won a tightly contested fifth set. 

It was not all somber news as the Monarchs learned that they had qualified for the conference tournament shortly before the match against William Peace. Their prize is another matchup against the Pacers, this time at the neutral-site of Meredith College, November 5 at 5 p.m. for the first round of the tournament.

It was also Senior Day for the Monarchs as senior Jamie Jones was honored before the match against William Peace.

JUST THE FACTS
Finals scores: Greensboro def. Methodist, 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 11-25, 25-16, 12-15); William Peace def. Methodist, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-15)
Records: Methodist 6-19 (5-11 USA South), Greensboro 16-16 (8-8), William Peace 23-7 (12-4)
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.
Event: Methodist Senior Day

NET NOTES

• Holding a slim 14-13 advantage in the first set against Greensboro, the Monarchs went on a 7-0 run to take a commanding 21-13 lead. Methodist earned the last three points to win the set, starting with an Erica East kill, followed by an Andrews and Alyssa Wrench block, before a Wrench kill for set point.
• The Pride exacted revenge in a back-and-forth second set, using a 7-2 run to take the set 25-22. The two teams made quick work in the third and fourth sets, trading games to create the vaunted fifth set. The Methodist offense was on fire in the fourth set, earning eight consecutive points via kills or service aces. Andrews earned set point with a kill.
• The Monarchs held the lead early in the fifth game, turning a slight 5-3 edge into a 10-7 lead before Greensboro's match-defining 8-2 run sealed the victory.
• Against the Pacers, Methodist actually jumped out to an early 5-1 advantage en route to a 10-5 edge in the first game before William Peace stormed back to take the set. The second game saw the Monarchs recover from down 19-9 to cut the deficit to 24-20.
• Wrench can do it all, leading the team in digs (31 combined) in each game while adding 15 total kills, including 11 against Greensboro. She also tallied four total blocks and two service aces on the day.
• Lili Henry's 29 assists against Greensboro was a team season-high and she added 13 against William Peace. Savannah Mullis had 33 assists total for the day, second on the team.
• Entering the matches today, Jones had 285 kills and 68 total blocks in 234 sets played. She added 15 more kills to her career totals, thanks to these two matches.
• Greensboro won despite the Monarchs topping the Pride in kills (51-42), service aces (11-6) and points (67-55).

TOURNEY TIME

• Entering the day, the Monarchs needed either one win to clinch a berth into the conference tournament or they needed N.C. Wesleyan to drop at least one of its two matches in its tri-match Saturday.
• Methodist got its invite after Pfeiffer swept the Battling Bishops in the tri-match finale in Rocky Mount, N.C. The Monarchs' ticket was punched before they even took the court against William Peace.
• Opening-round schedule:
  • Greensboro vs. Salem - 5 p.m. (at Averett)
  • Methodist vs. William Peace - 5 p.m. (at Meredith)
  • Berea vs. LaGrange - 5 p.m. (at Maryville)
  • Piedmont vs. Covenant - 5 p.m. (at Huntingdon)