JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps volleyball team improved to 11-1 on the regular-season after hauling in a quartet of victories over the weekend in the Millsaps Invitational. The Majors dispatched McMurry University (3-1) and Belhaven University (3-0) on Friday before closing out Austin College (3-2) and Centenary College (3-0) inside the Hangar Dome on Saturday.
Match 1: Millsaps 3, McMurry 1
(23-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-22)
Junior Ally Baer led the way for the Majors with 16 kills, eight digs and six blocks, as senior Anna Capezzera produced a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs.
Junior Trisa Naquin recorded 10 kills and three digs, classmate Mallory Richardson posted seven kills and four digs, alongside senior Zoe Elder's match-high 41 assists against the Warhawks. Elder added 20 digs in the win.
The first match of the Millsaps Invitational was very energetic going four sets with both teams not disappointing as they battled hard on both sides of the ball.
The Warhawks would go ahead 2-0 early in the first set, but the Majors would respond quickly to tie the set at 2-2.
Both teams would go back and forth the entire opening set until McMurry would see a lead at 11-9. However, the Majors would make a huge 9-3 run to regain the lead at 18-14.
As the match continued, the Warhawks would rally back 11-5 to win the set, 25-23.
In the second set, Baer served extremely well while making the most out of the first five points for the Majors, giving them an early 5-0 lead. Millsaps would surge into a 25-16 set victory over the Warhawks.
The third set was the same story as Millsaps would dominate the Warhawks, 25-12. The squads would put up a team effort as everyone took a little piece of the action on the courts.
The fourth and final set was a different story as the Warhawks got their groove back and fought back against the Majors as both opponents battling back and forth the entire set.
Millsaps prevailed with the finishing set on a 4-0 run capping off a big first match of the invitational winning, 25-22.
Match 2: Millsaps 3, Belhaven 0
(25-18, 25-18, 25-11)
Zoe Elder led the Majors in double figures with 21 assists, 10 digs and two block assists, while Anna Capezzera tallied eight kills, 15 digs and a block.
Ally Baer recorded 12 kills and two digs, while Abigail Drury posted 13 digs. Mallory Richardson completed nine kills and three digs. Sandy Bourgeois stood out with 11 digs and two assists in the win over the cross-street rivals.
The Majors opened the second match of the Millsaps Invitational on Friday night following two consecutive kills by Baer taking an early 2-0 lead. Belhaven would utilize a 5-1 run moments later to overtake the Majors, forcing a timeout.
As the set continued Millsaps would insert a 9-4 run accompanied by three kills from Baer, two kills by Capezzera and kills from Naquin and Richardson.
Down 12-10, Belhaven would call a timeout. Millsaps would begin feeding off the crowd's energy. The Majors closed out the bottom of the set on a 13-9 run as Capezzera would tab the last kill to give the Majors in the first set, 25-19.
In the second set both teams tussled points back and forth. After a 17-17 draw Millsaps would down the Blazers on an 8-1 run including three kills from Richardson and a pair of kills by Stephens.
Another pair kills by Stephens would conclude the second set for the Majors, 25-18.
In the final set of the night, Millsaps stopped the Blazers early following an 11-4 run. As the set continued Belhaven would trail behind in the remainder of the match.
The Majors would overthrow the Blazers on a 14-7 run to round up the set, 25-11 to brush past the Blazers with the Riverside Rumble sword on display throughout the match. Millsaps bested Belhaven both on the gridiron and volleyball court in the span of eight days.
Match 3: Millsaps 3, Austin 2
(26-28, 25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12)
Anna Capezzera led the way with her sixth double-double of the season with 14 kills and a career-high 21 digs. The Jacksonville, Fla., native also accumulated two block assists.
Zoe Elder recorded her seventh double-double of the season following a career-high 54 assists and 27 digs.
Mallory Richardson also broke a career-high with 20 kills, while installing one block assist and five digs. Sandy Bourgeois posted 20 digs and one assist. Additionally Abigail Drury highlighted 19 digs and two assists.
In the start of the first set, Austin College opened on a 9-3 run. However the Majors would reverse course and use a 13-4 run to tie the set, 13-13.
Both teams would begin trading off points to see each other in the bottom of the set tied at 25-25 draw. After a Naquin kill would soon divide both squads by one point, but the Kangaroos would apply pressure following a kill, an ace and an attack error to take the first set, 28-26.
In the second set, Millsaps would rely on a 4-0 run to take the lead by two point. The Kangaroos would give up an attack error as Richardson and Baer would follow through on a trio of kills.
The Majors would fall behind 13-11, but would rush back against their opponents following a 7-0 run.
Tallied by a Capezzera and Elder kill, equaled with three attacks and two service aces, the Majors went back in charge at 18-13.
Millsaps would continue to stay ahead of the Kangaroos, but Austin College would cut their deficit down utilizing a 6-2 run trailing behind, 20-19.
As the set continued, the Majors would brush pass Austin College in the end of the set as a Baer and Richardson kill would favor the Majors, 25-22.
In the third set both teams exchanged points early. Austin College would soon jump ahead, 14-11. The Kangaroos would hold their lead throughout the set.
Down 23-20, the Millsaps would utilize a 5-2 run from a kill by Naquin, Bohl, and Richardson. A service ace and an attack error would also be installed. The Kangaroos would hold the court down, however, to claim a 25-21 victory.
In the fourth set Capezzera punched in the first point for the Majors. Austin College would fall behind 7-3 later in the set.
Moments later two Richardson kills and a Baer kill would see the Majors continuing their lead at 10-5. After an Austin College substitution, Millsaps would capture a 7-3 run on five kills and two attack errors.
Down 17-10, the Kangaroos would pounce on an 8-1 run to draw back into the match, 18-18. Millsaps would use two consecutive kills by Richardson to pull ahead in the set by two points.
Austin College would cut down the Majors lead by one, buth the Majors would record four kills and a bad set to acquire the fourth set, 25-22.
In the last fifth and final set, both teams clashed amongst each other by equal points. Millsaps would get the better end at the bottom of the set leading, 12-10.
The Majors would drive past the Kangaroos as Richardson, Baer and Zoe LaCaze would all rush their opposition with late kills to secure a 15-12 triumph over Austin College.
Match 4: vs Millsaps 3, Centenary 0
(25-15, 25-5, 25-9)
Anna Capezzera once again led the way for the Majors with 10 kills and eight digs.
Ally Baer proved her all-around ability to play, tallying seven kills, five digs and three blocks.
Rylee Stephens and freshman Jenna Nattinger both scored four kills and a dig.
Zoe Elder had another great day with 30 assists, three blocks, three digs and a kill.
The Millsaps Invitational ended Saturday with the final match being a convincing sweep.
Centenary made the first set interesting, but the Majors did not approve of that and finished the set on a 4-0 run, taking the first set, 25-15.
The second and third sets were completely different stories, as the Majors handled their business and won 25-5 in the second set and 25-9 in the third.
Baer made her ability to serve known in the second set, scoring six points for the Majors, with two of those points being aces.
It was an all-around great team performance for the Majors, and it pushed their record to 11-1 and their winning streak to 11.
The Majors will be back in action to host LaGrange College, on Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m. inside the Hangar Dome. Live video and live stats will be available 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.
