JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps volleyball team battled, but were bested by Sewanee in a five-set heartbreaker (25-15, 16-25, 25-18, 20-25, 18-20) on Sunday inside the Hangar Dome.
 
Millsaps (9-9, 3-5 SAA) was powered offensively by junior Anna Capezzera's eighth double-double of the season. She posted 18 kills and a career-best 18 digs. Sophomore Mallory Richardson was terrific with 13 kills and six digs, while senior Brenna Macaluso added eight kills and 15 digs.
 
Junior Zoe Elder distributed a match-high 39 assists and senior Margaret Richardson led the match with 25 digs.
 
Millsaps looked ready by opening the first set on a 5-0 run, including a four service aces. Sewanee (15-5, 5-2 SAA) would try to look for points after a timeout, but the Majors would continue dominating with an early 14-9 lead.
 
The Tigers would finally respond to the Majors on a 3-0 rally, cutting the Millsaps advantage to 20-15. The Majors then rattled off the final five points behind Elder, Mallory Richardson and Capezzera kills to take the first set, 25-15.
 
Set two was a swing of momentum as Sewanee would utilize an 8-0 march to lead, 12-6. The Majors would continue playing hard but as the set progressed the Tigers would put the set away, 25-16.
 
In the crucial third set neither team could create much separation as Millsaps held a narrow 18-17 margin late. A kill by Macaluso would spark a 5-0 burst to give the Majors breathing room and a 25-18 set triumph.
 
The fourth set featured eight ties and three lead changes. Sewanee held a 14-10 edge before teams would trade points back and forth. The Tigers would then tally four consecutive points to lead 22-14 and hold on for a 25-20 decision to tie up the match at 2-2.
 
The final set was an epic struggle as the teams recorded 15 ties and five lead exchanges. The Tigers took an early 6-3 advantage, but the Majors came back to take the lead at 10-9 and 13-12.
 
Millsaps would hold match point at 14-13 and 15-14, but the Tigers clawed back both times. The Majors would fight off match points of their own with kills by sophomore Ally Baer and Mallory Richardson and a Sewanee attack error. However, the Tigers would use two attack errors for the last two points to claim the match at 20-18 in the fifth set.
 
The Majors will be back in action on Saturday to face Rhodes in Memphis, Tenn., beginning at 12 p.m. Live video and live stats will be provided at gomajors.com.


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