LYNCHBURG, Va.  Methodist volleyball rolled to a pair of dominant non-conference victories Saturday at Randolph College, extending a win streak to five after downing Regent University by a 3-0 count in the day's opener, followed by a 3-1 win over the host WildCats at Giles Gymnasium.

Janie Harmelink set a career high in the Randolph match, coming up with 26 digs during the win.

JUST THE FACTS
Final scores: Methodist def. Regent, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-20); Methodist def. Randolph, 3-1 (17-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-12)
Records: Methodist 8-4, Regent 1-3, Randolph 4-5
Location: Giles Gymnasium; Lynchburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Methodist had momentum entering the tri-match Saturday, coming off a 3-0 sweep Friday evening at Guilford College.
• Though the Monarchs would record their third consecutive 3-0 sweep with the win over Regent, it wasn't easy.
• A first-set rally from an early deficit was keyed by a 7-0 Methodist run, and a 4-0 run midway through the set pushed the Monarchs out in front for good against Regent.
• The second set saw 11 ties until Methodist scored consecutive points to break a 14-14 deadlock, then never trailed again to go up 2-0 in the match.
• Again in the third set, an early run (4-0) was needed to erase a one-point deficit and an equal 4-0 run halfway through helped ice the set, and the match.
• Randolph, who was coming off a break after defeating Regent (3-1) in the first match of the afternoon, looked rested and energetic in the opening set, using a couple of long runs to take command and win the set.
• The tide turned with the second set. Randolph scored the opening point but Methodist wrested the lead away quickly and after later broke a 12-12 tie with a 7-1 spurt to take control and even the match.
• Just like in the second set, the WildCats lit up the scoreboard first, but just like in the second set that advantage was short lived as the Monarchs stormed back with five unanswered points.
• Already leading 10-5 in the set, Methodist scored six straight to build a more-than-comfortable cushion and set victory.
• That momentum helped the Monarchs storm out of the gate in what would be the deciding fourth set as they earned the first eight points of the set. Hannah Hewett served through the run, notching one service ace while Methodist also got kills in the streak from Leann Sessoms and Geneva Barriger, and a solo block from Kendall Craig.
• A 6-0 run later in the set just accented the momentum the set-opening had created, and the Monarchs closed the set with a 3-0 stretch to finish off the match.

MORE TO IT

• The set win by Randolph was the first allowed by the Monarchs since Ferrum College won the opening set in the first of Methodist's 5-0 unbeaten string. The WildCats broke a Methodist string of 12 consecutive set wins.
• The Methodist victory over Randolph reverses the result from a September 10 match against the WildCats, who won that one by a 3-2 score.
• Barriger finished the afternoon with 22 kills, while Jeannan Fowler added 17 and Sessoms added 16.
• Hewett set up the Methodist attack with 23 set assists in the opener, and 39 against Randolph.
• Usually a strong component of Monarch attack, they notched 10 service aces against the WildCats including three each by Harmelink and Ellie Atkins.
• In both matches Methodist had the better of the attack rates, posting a .165 against Regent (.056) and a .217 success rate against Randolph (.138).

UP NEXT
Methodist opens USA South Athletic Conference action with its next match, taking a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, where it will take on host Meredith College on Wednesday night.