DECATUR, Ga. Methodist volleyball opened their season on Friday night in Decatur, Georgia at the Agnes Scott Labor Day Smash, taking a tough loss to non-conference opponent Keiser University out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Monarchs were unable to capture a set in their opening match of the tournament and lost 3-0.

Geneva Barriger led the attack for Methodist on the day, accumulating 10 total kills.

JUST THE FACTS

Final scores: Keiser def. Methodist, 3-0 (25-19, 25-10, 25-17)
Records: Methodist 0-1, Keiser 15-2
Event: Agnes Scott Labor Day Smash
Host: Agnes Scott College
Location: Woodruff Gymnasium; Decatur, Ga.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Methodist stole the first point of the match with a kill from Barriger before exchanging points between the next seven rallies. The Seahawks took their largest lead of the set after laying down three kills and a service ace to make it 8-4. 
• The Monarchs battled back with three straight punches (Jeanana Fowler, Barriger and Hewett) to close the gap to one. Keiser kept the pressure on Methodist, by holding a steady, one to two point lead before taking the first set 25-19. 
• Set 2 started off the same as the first one with Hannah Hewett passing over to Barriger for the first point. After trailing by one, Methodist experienced a lull in scoring while the Seahawks knocked down five kills to go on a 7-1 run. 
• The Monarchs were unable to get the attack going in the second set, as the Seahawks tallied 15 kills to the Monarchs three, falling 25-10. 
• In Set 3, Keiser jumped out on a 3-0 lead before Methodist answered, steadily cutting the Seahawks lead to 7-6. Leann Sessoms contributed two kills in the sequence, while Barriger and Aniyah Tate each added one. 
• The Monarchs trailed the Seahawks by just three or four points until Keiser hit the 20 point mark, and took the third set with a 25-17 win.

MORE TO IT

• Fowler and Sessoms both rang up five kills a piece, followed by Tate with three, tallying her first collegiate hit.
• Hewett led the team with 21 assists and six digs while also collecting one block at the net.
• Defense at the net totaled 10 blocks to the Seahawks three, which was led by Fowler with four.
• Both teams had three services aces between all three sets.
• The attack was just unable to get on track as Methodist finished the three-setter with a .094 attack percentage, compared to a robust .402 by Keiser.

UP NEXT

Methodist continues action at the Smash on Saturday, taking on host, Agnes Scott College at 12 p.m. and Toccoa Falls College at 2 p.m. in a pair of non-conference matches.