FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. In a rematch with the Pfeiffer University Falcons, the Methodist volleyball team defended home court and earned a 3–0 win on Tuesday night for the team's seventh sweep of the season. The Monarchs avenged their loss from earlier in the season, when the Falcons produced a sweep in Misenheimer.
Prior to the match,
Mahala Carter and
Jamie Holton were recognized for Senior Night.
Final scores: Methodist def. Pfeiffer, 3–0 (25–17, 25–21, 25–18)
Records: Methodist 15–14 (10–7 USA South), Pfeiffer 14–15 (8–9 USA South)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina
How It Happened
After a back and forth start to the first set, the Monarchs went on a tear, winning eight out of nine points on a run that saw three kills by Holton and two by
Savannah Hovander. The hot streak gave Methodist a 20–11 advantage. The Monarchs pushed onward, with
Charleigh Anne Hewett and
Railyn Fowler connecting on back-to-back scores to make the score 24–13. Pfeiffer escaped set point four times before a
Carlyn Tanis kill finally ended the set.
With a sloppy start to the second set for Methodist, the Falcons found their way to a 9-8 lead. It would be their last lead of the set though, as the Monarchs gained the edge and stayed ahead by a few points the rest of the way. Hovander logged two aces during the set, including one on set point to put her team up 2–0 in the match.
Methodist brought out the big guns in the third set, earning kills on seven of the team's first eight points. It didn't stop there though; the team continued to rack up kills, including three in a row by Holton to extend Methodist's lead out to 21–13. The Monarchs finished the set with 19 kills in all, which included five apiece for Holton and
Addison Johnson, four for Hovander, three for Fowler and two for Tanis.
Highlights
Carter finished senior night with a hitting percentage of .300 and three kills, while Holton recorded a hitting percentage of .355 and a match-high 14 kills. Fowler had the best hitting percentage on the night, hitting .385 (seven kills and two errors on 13 total attacks).
Hewett and
Faith Driver evenly split time on the floor, earning 21 and 20 assists respectively. The 6-2 rotation that Methodist has been running as of late has allowed both setters to flourish.
The Monarchs are winners of five of their last six matches — their best six-game stretch on the season.
Up Next
Methodist will be on the road for the final match of the regular season, taking on Southern Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 12 p.m.
View the current USA South standings
here.
