DANVILLE, Va.  Taking on two members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, the Methodist women's volleyball team opened its 2024 season on Friday with one win and one loss. The Monarchs swept Guilford College in dominant fashion before losing a two-set lead to Roanoke College.

Final scores: Methodist def. Guilford, 3–0 (25–22, 25–18, 25–14); Roanoke def. Methodist, 3–2 (20–25, 18–25, 27–25, 25–23, 15–10)
Records: Methodist 1–1, Guilford 1–1, Roanoke 2–0
Event: Cougar Classic
Host: Averett University
Location: Grant Center; Danville, Virginia

GAME ONE

• The Monarchs were slow to get things going offensively, starting the first set down 6–3. With the Quakers simply making more plays on offense and defense, they soon found themselves out in front, 16–13. Fighting from behind, Methodist called timeout before piecing together a 12–6 run that allowed the Monarchs to claim the first set. Jamie Holton and Savannah Hovander each produced two kills to secure Methodist's final four points.
• With Guilford's Maddi Page facilitating the offense, the Quakers took another early lead — this time collecting the first three points and earning a 7–4 advantage. The Monarchs flipped the script by scoring the next six points, which included three Jeanana Fowler kills that were set by Hannah Hewett. Methodist continued to accelerate, with Hovander recording a kill that capped off a five-point run and made the score 17–9. From there, the Monarchs maintained the lead and rode the momentum to another set victory.
• Methodist finally attacked first in the third set, jumping out to a 5–1 advantage after three kills by Holton. A six-point streak — which saw three service aces by Methodist newcomer Carlyn Tanis — put the Monarchs ahead 13–5. With eight of the next 10 points, Methodist possessed a 21–7 lead. Tanis and Fowler finished off the set with the final two kills.

 
GAME TWO

• With Methodist going deeper into its bench for this match, the Monarchs battled to a 10–7 lead. Back–and–forth play led to a score of 16-16, just before a five–point Methodist swing with two service aces by Hovander. The Monarchs matched Roanoke the rest of the way for a five–point victory in the first set.
•  A tight second set was interrupted by Blake O'Brien, whose service turned a one–point Roanoke lead into a seven–point Methodist advantage (16-9). The libero recorded an impressive five service aces during the run and gave the Monarchs the momentum they needed to win the second set.
• Still rolling, Methodist took a 5–1 lead in the third set. The Monarchs accumulated 16 kills during the set — their most in a single–set all day — on their way to a 24–21 match point. Unable to secure the final point they needed, the Monarchs dropped the set, 27-25.
• With new life, the Maroons carried the momentum all the way to a 15–11 lead in the fourth set. Methodist put that to a halt with a six–point streak, but just as the Monarchs had taken a two–point lead, Roanoke responded with seven straight points to push ahead, 22–17. Methodist's efforts would prove futile, as the Maroons narrowly captured victory in the set to tie the match, 2–2.
• The Monarchs worked their way to a 6–4 lead in the fifth set before another seven–point Roanoke run took the wind out of Methodist's sails for a final time, allowing the Maroons to walk away triumphantly.  

 
MORE TO IT

• Jamie Holton recorded a double-double in the win over Guilford, posting 14 kills and 10 digs. Blake O'Brien narrowly missed a rare double-double featuring service aces, as the libero produced eight aces while recording 21 digs versus Roanoke.
• As the team's top setter, Hannah Hewett averaged 40 assists in each match, notching 37 in the win and 43 in the defeat (for an average of eight assists per set).
• Methodist faced tough defense at the net in both matches, as Guilford generated eight blocks and Roanoke produced nine. The Monarchs only recorded a total of seven blocks between both games.

 
UP NEXT
The Cougar Classic will continue Saturday, with Methodist competing at 2 p.m. versus the University of Lynchburg and again at 4 p.m. versus the event host, Averett University.