SHREVEPORT, La. – The Millsaps volleyball team gave their best and secured a pair of victories to open the regular season in the Cajun Country Classic inside the Gold Dome over the weekend. The Majors were bested by Howard Payne University, 3-0 on Friday before bettering Louisiana Christian University in a 3-2 thriller and swept past Centenary College, 3-0 on Saturday.
 
Match 1: Howard Payne 3, Millsaps 0
(21-25, 17-25, 23-25)
 
Senior Anna Capezzera recorded a double-double with 10 kills, 11 digs and four aces, while junior Ally Baer highlighted seven kills and seven digs.
 
Sophomore Sandy Bourgeois tabulated 17 digs as freshman Abigail Drury finished with 13 digs against the Yellow Jackets. Senior Zoe Elder collected two blocks and dished out 26 assists.
 
In the first set both teams battled competitively back and fourth. The ending of the set would come down to the wire as Capezzera would make a crucial kill to keep the match close. She would follow with back-to-back service aces to make it 18-18.
 
The Yellow Jackets would escape with a kill and an attack error to close out the first set in their favor, 25-21.
 
Millsaps took over early in the second set 4-1 to respond strong, but Howard Payne would counter on three consecutive kills later to take the lead at 11-7.
 
Capezzera answered with a kill to keep the margin down by three points, however the Yellow Jackets eventually moved forward, 20-14.
 
Millsaps still in the fight would use a Baer kill and an attack error to keep the set within four points. The Yellow Jackets would sting the Majors on a 5-1 run to escape in the second set, 25-17.
 
In the final set, both teams traded advantages early before Howard Payne took a 10-7 lead. Capezzera would challenge the Yellow Jackets with a kill and an attack error to cut the match down to two.
 
Howard Payne would go ahead 17-12, but two attack errors, a bad set and a Drury service ace would help the Majors cut the margin to one.
 
An attack error by the Yellow Jackets and a junior Olivia Danos service ace would draw the match at 18-18.
 
Howard Payne would take charge by one point, however Millsaps would keep their head in the match to gain the lead back 20-19 following a service error and attack error.
 
Both teams would trade points back and forth before Elder and junior Trista Naquin would team up with block assists to put the Majors in front, 21-20.
 
Howard Payne would tie the match at 22-22 and a kill by senior Rylee Stephens would give Millsaps the led back.
 
However, the Yellow Jackets would attack the Majors on a 3-0 run to close out the final set and match, 25-23.
 

Match 2: Millsaps 3, LCU 2
(25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-12)
 
After falling to Howard Payne, the Majors would dispatch Louisiana Christian University, 3-2 in a thriller inside the Gold Dome to begin Saturday.
 
Capezzera erupted with a career-high 21 kills, adding 13 digs for another double-double. Bourgeois recorded seven assists and 21 digs, while Baer totaled a career-best 18 kills alongside six blocks. Elder set the tone with 45 assists and nine digs.

Drury added 22 digs, Bourgeois 21 digs and junior Mallory Richardson reached double figures with 10 kills.
 
In the first set, Millsaps scored first following a Wildcats attack error, but LCU would take over later at 13-5.

The Majors would utilize a 6-0 run midway through the set courtesy of two Baer kills and four Wildcat attack errors to cut the score down to 14-12.
 
As the match continued, the Majors would continue to stand their ground and tie the set at 19-19 following a crucial ace by Capezzera, closing a 3-0 run.
 
A Naquin and Richardson kill would give Millsaps their second lead of the set, and Baer on a hot streak would stretch the Majors ahead, 22-21 following another kill.
 
Richardson and Baer would tally additional kills in the bottom of the set to help claim the first set, 25-23.
 
In the second set both opponents matched points back-to-back. A Richardson kill, Capezzera pair of kills, Danos ace and LCU attack error made up a 5-0 run, moving the Majors forward, 14-9.
 
LCU however would catch fire with a 6-0 run of their own to take the lead at 18-17. The Majors would remain focused in their game to keep the match close towards the final moments.
 
The Wildcats would attack the Majors with two 3-0 runs to carry a 24-21 before getting the best of the Majors to tie match with a 25-23 decision.
 
In the third set, both teams exchanged points until the Majors remained hot in the middle of the set with a 4-0 run to led, 14-8 courtesy of Baer and Capezzera pairs of kills.
 
The Majors would follow through on a 3-0 run to keep their hopes alive with Baer doing what she does best with another kill. A service ace for the Majors and attack an error by the Wildcats would continue the Majors advantage up to, 21-17.
 
Millsaps staying in the fight and not giving up would blank the Wildcats with another kill by Baer and Capezzera. The Majors would close out the set on an Elder service ace to win the third set, 25-21.
 
In the fourth set both teams challenged each with mini runs throughout, but LCU would pull off the victory, 25-18 and create a decisive final set.
 
Millsaps would respond immediately in the final set with a 3-0 run as Baer would open up with a kill followed by two Wildcat attack errors.
 
Each team would trade points before Millsaps controlled a crucial 4-0 run with a Capezzera kill and three Wildcat attack errors to move ahead, 13-10.
 
The Majors would close the set out strong as a costly attack error and a ball handling error would give the Majors a 15-12 triumph over LCU.


Match 3: Millsaps 3, Centenary 0
(25-14, 25-20, 25-13)
 
The Majors handled business by taking down Louisiana Christian and finished off their stay in Shreveport with a second win on Saturday, sweeping host Centenary College.

In the final match, Capezzera recorded nine kills, six aces, nine digs and two assists.
 
Bourgeois led the team with 17 digs alongside two assists and a kill. Freshman Lily Bumpers recorded eight kills, while Naquin held six kills, two blocks and five digs. Elder also collected 21 assists.
 
In the first set, Millsaps started electric and jumped ahead 8-1, highlighted by two attack errors, four Capezzera service aces and kills by Capezzera and Bumpers.
 
Millsaps would continue to dominate as Centenary struggled with three attack errors. A 5-0 run made it 15-7 early.
 
The Majors' lead would continue to grow as a kill by Baer and another kill by Bumpers made it a 23-12 advantage. A service error and an attack error gave Millsaps an opening set win at 25-14.
 
In the second set, the Majors could not be stopped again. Centenary trailed behind early 7-1 as Bourgeois would respond immediately with a kill, followed by three attack errors by the Ladies. Naquin and Stephens added kills as well for the margin.
 
A Capezzera kill would keep the Ladies behind 10-4, but Centenary would cut the lead down to 12-11.
 
Bumpers and Elder used kills to help an impressive surge make it a 21-13 comfortable tally. The Majors held strong to collect the second set, 25-20.
 
In the final set against Centenary, teams traded points early on before the Majors used a 6-0 run to create breathing room at 18-11.
 
Millsaps would continue to hold strong as they surrendered only two more points to close out the Cajun Country Classic strong, sweeping Centenary, 25-14.
 
The Majors will next travel to the Rhodes College Classic, Friday and Saturday, opening with the University of Dallas at 1 p.m.


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