After two weeks between home matches, the Covenant volleyball team was greeted with a large and boisterous crowd and used that advantage to build a two-set lead before holding on for a 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21) victory over Maryville on Wednesday night inside Barnes PE Center.
Covenant (6-6, 1-0 USA South) wins its USA South opener for the second year in a row. It is also the fourth straight victory over Maryville (3-8, 0-1 USA South) since the 2015 season.
The first set was tight until midway through.
Down 16-15, Covenant scored the next five points, aided by two Ginny Moore kills and two total blocks from Chloe Storm, to go ahead 20-15. Covenant then scored the final three points in the frame with Schuyler Moore's ace sealing the 25-20 set win. The Lady Scots tallied 15 kills in the set that saw four ties and two lead changes.
Maryville led by as many as four in the second set before Covenant came back and knotted the score at 13 apiece after a Maryville error. The visiting Scots then seized a 23-21 lead later in the set, but again Covenant had an answer as the Lady Scots scored the final four points. Two Maryville errors tied the score at 23 then a Hannah Stewart ace followed by a Jessica Seehorn kill gave Covenant a 2-0 match lead.
The third set belonged to Maryville as the Scots produced their highest hitting percentage of the match in the frame and held off another Covenant rally. After trailing midway through the set, Covenant took a 22-20 lead on a Hannah Harris kill. Maryville took the lead at 23-22 and then got two of the final three points to extend the match into the fourth set.
Maryville carried momentum into the fourth and grabbed a 9-2 lead early on. Covenant methodically chipped away at the deficit before catching Maryville at 17-17 after a Maryville error. The teams traded points until Covenant grabbed a 22-21 lead on a solo block from Allie Jakes, one of two she had on the night. Following a replay of a point after a dig attempt went through the basketball hoop, the Lady Scots got kills from Ginny Moore and Harris before another Maryville error gave Covenant the set win at 25-21.
Ginny Moore registered her ninth double-double of the year with 19 kills, which led all players, and 26 digs. Schuyler Moore had 43 assists, 16 digs and four kills, while Storm had 11 kills, six digs and two aces. Harris totaled 10 kills and eight digs. Covenant had a 58-38 edge in total kills. Stewart also tallied 26 digs, while Seehorn had 13 digs and nine kills and Emily Moore chipped in 12 digs.
Maryville was led by Brianne Sidner's 12 kills to go along with five total blocks. Nia Haller had 10 kills and 12 digs, while Saidee McDaniel had 34 assists. Kaitlyn Flickinger led all players with 28 digs.
Covenant will travel to LaGrange, Ga., on Saturday to face USA South foes LaGrange (12 p.m.) and Piedmont (2 p.m.).