JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps volleyball team (14-3, 2-2 SAA) finished the weekend with a pair of Southern Athletic Association matchups. The team bettered Hendrix College on Friday (25-20, 25-21, 26-28, 25-16), while falling to Rhodes College (25-21, 22-25, 22-25, 19-25) inside the Hangar Dome on Sunday.
Match 1: Millsaps 3, Hendrix 1
(25-20, 25-21, 26-28, 25-16)
Senior setter Zoe Elder led the way for the Majors with a double-double of 35 assists and 21 digs. The Starkville, Miss., product also accumulated four blocks and five kills.
Classmate Anna Capezzera also recorded a double-double by tying a season-high 21 kills to go along with 14 digs and two aces.
Junior Ally Baer also stood out for the Majors with 16 kills, four blocks, five digs and a match-high three aces. Classmates Mallory Richardson and Trista Naquin (six blocks) finished the afternoon with six kills.
Freshman Abigail Drury contested 13 digs and three assists as sophomore Sandy Bourgeois totaled a career-high 29 digs.
In the first set, Millsaps stormed ahead of Hendrix (8-10, 2-3 SAA) on a 6-1 run following four total kills by Baer and Capezzera and two service aces.
The Warriors would attack the Majors with two service aces and a service error to cut their deficit down to two points.
Millsaps would stretch their lead back up to 14-9. The Warriors would call their second timeout of the set as Naquin, Stephens and Capezzera would continue to protect their lead at 21-14.
A service error by the Warriors would conclude the first set with the Majors taking control, 25-20.
In the start of the second set both teams would match points before Hendrix found themselves winning the early battle, up 11-5 from a service ace and two attack errors.
Moments later, Elder and Baer would unite on solid kills with Millsaps only trailing by three points at 14-11.
Later trailing 19-14, the Majors would make a comeback and utilize a 7-0 run to overtake the Warriors, 21-19.
The squad would continue to apply more pressure as Bourgeois closed the second set with an ace at 25-21.
In the third set, both teams exchanged points for a short period of time before Hendrix would soon draw a 10-4 lead.
Millsaps then responded with a 5-0 rally to trail 12-11 with kills Richardson, Capezzera, Elder and Baer.
Down 16-11, the Majors would see Hendrix tally a 4-0 run but battle back with two kills and an attack error to narrowly trail by two-points at 19-17.
Millsaps looking to prevent the set from being in favor of the Warriors tallied a 4-0 run to comeback and draw the match at 23-23.
Capezzera would come in clutch on two consecutive kills to give the Majors a 25-24 margin.
However, Hendrix fired back with four of the final five points to claim the third set, 28-26.
Millsaps opened the final set with a 6-1 lead before Hendrix would call a timeout.
The squad followed that up with a 5-0 run as Amelia Bohl, Baer and Richardson totaled kills, helping the Majors move out front at 13-5.
Hendrix , looking to stay alive, would try to fight back on a 7-1 run to close the deficit down to 20-15.
Millsaps not letting the set get out of their hands, caught fire and closed out the match with a strong 5-1 resurgence. Naquin, Bohl and Richardson all had a hand with kills in the final push.
Millsaps finished the set with a 25-16 decision to extend their home win streak to seven matches.
Match 2: Rhodes 3, Millsaps 1
(25-21, 22-25, 22-25, 19-25)
After taking down Hendrix College in a 3-1 victory, the Majors would look to continue their winning mentality, but would fall to Rhodes (8-10, 2-3 SAA) in a four-set battle on Sunday inside the Hangar Dome.
Capezzera recorded another double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs, while Elder contested another double-double of her own with 36 assists and 18 digs.
Baer recorded 12 kills and five digs as Naquin earned eight kills and a team-best three blocks.
In the first set, Baer started the match with a kill and sparked a 7-1 run to open the match.
Millsaps would extend 10-4, but Rhodes used a 6-0 run to tie the set at 16-16.
Needing an answer, Millsaps would regain their confidence on a 4-0 run off a Naquin kill, two Lynx attack errors and an Elder service ace.
Both teams would transfer points back and forth after before Rhodes used a late 3-0 run to make it 23-21. Baer then used a kill and an attack error to close out the set in Millsaps' favor.
In the second set, the Majors managed an early 3-0 lead, but saw the Lynx come back into the set on a 5-1 run.
Millsaps then used a 7-3 run to keep the match at a stand pull the Major back behind at 12-11.
The Lynx would then battle back with a 6-0 run to grab the upper hand, 18-15.
The Lynx would better Millsaps with a kill on the final play of action to claim the set, 25-22.
In the third set, Baer answered with a kill right out the gate. However the Lynx would soon take a 6-3 advantage.
Both teams would battle to exchange points back and forth before Millsaps would find a 4-0 rhythm to tie the score at 8-8.
Rhodes would take back their lead shortly after at 14-11 before the match would be tied again at 14-14 and 16-16.
As the third set continued both teams would trade points to the finish. Rhodes closed the set with back-to-back kills to triumph, 25-22.
In the final set, Rhodes would move into a 10-5 lead, but the Majors would regroup on an 8-0 run to gain the lead at 12-10.
Rhodes would serve up an 11-3 outburst to push forward, 21-15. Elder would attack with a kill and two Rhodes attack errors forced a timeout.
After the timeout, Rhodes closed out the match with four of the next five points to escape from the Majors, 25-19 in the fourth set.
Millsaps will be back in action to face Tougaloo College on Tuesday, beginning at 6 p.m. inside the Hangar Dome. Live video and live stats will be provided at gomajors.com.
To keep updated with everything surrounding the Millsaps volleyball program this season follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
