CONWAY, Ark. - Playing three of the top four teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Millsaps volleyball team (12-12, 4-7 SCAC) went 1-3 on the weekend in cross-divisional action with losses to
Austin College, No. 15
Trinity University, No. 12
Colorado College and its lone win against host
Hendrix College.
Starting play Saturday afternoon facing Austin College, a team that received votes in the most recent AVCA poll, the Majors dropped three quick sets to lose the match 3-0 by scores of 18-25, 20-25 and 22-25.
In the final match Saturday, Millsaps fell 3-0 to No. 15 ranked Trinity University despite keeping the first set close by hitting .333. The Tigers proved too much finishing off the Majors 22-25, 19-25, 17-25.
The Majors jumped out to an early 1-0 set lead by dominating the first set 25-12 against the No. 12 ranked Tigers from Colorado College Sunday morning. Millsaps was unable to maintain the momentum as the Tigers went on to win the next three sets 18-25, 22-25, 18-25 as the hitting errors for the Majors mounted.
The resilient Millsaps squad rebounded to hit a season-high .408 in a 3-0 sweep over host Hendrix College in the final match of the weekend by scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-11. The previous hitting percentage high came against Belhaven College on Sept. 15 when the Majors hit .354.
Ignoring the 1-3 record, Millsaps played at a high level throughout the weekend led by junior
Kate Hall's 42 kills. Sophomore
Kasey Laird added 28 kills to go with three service aces, two solo blocks and six block assists playing all-around. Freshman
Sarah Zito added a team-high four solo blocks over the weekend along with six block assists and 13 kills (.480 hitting percentage).
Junior
Erica Cook led the Millsaps defense with 58 digs, while senior
Dixie Krauss added 42 digs of her own. Junior setters
Mallory Clark and
Hailey Miranda combined for 103 set assists (54 and 49 respectively). Sophomore
Maggie Tumminello finished with a team-high five service aces on the weekend.
The Majors will take the next nine days off as they get set for a battle with rival Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7:00 p.m. before wrapping up conference play the weekend of Oct. 24-25 at Centre College.