JACKSON, Miss — The Millsaps volleyball team defeated Tougaloo College in a 25-11, 25-11, 25-13 triumph on Friday night inside the Hangar Dome.
The Majors posted a disparity of 44 kills, while the Bulldogs recorded 14 kills.
Senior Anna Ware helped lead the Majors with 20 assists, while adding six digs. Junior Caroline Russo dominated on the court with a career-high 18 assists. Senior Ally Baer held it down for the Majors with six kills, four digs and two block assists.
Freshman Lily Luneau recorded a season-high eight kills while boasting two digs. Junior Amelia Bohl contributed six kills and one dig. Sophomore Morgan Perry accumulated five kills and one dig. Freshman Atlee Gonzales impressed on the court with 14 digs as well.
Sophomore Lily Bumpers finished inside the Hangar Dome with five kills, one block assist and a dig.
Sophomore Jenna Nattinger had five kills, one block assist, and two digs against the Bulldogs, while freshman Kinney Boyle applied pressure against her opponents with seven kills and two digs.
In the first set, Millsaps caged the Bulldogs with an early 6-1 run as Baer, Morgan, Boyle and Luneau each recorded kills to get the party started against Tougaloo.
After a great start by the Majors, the team would expand their lead to 11-2. However moments later, the Bulldogs would cut their lead down to 12-7.
Baer, looking for an opportunity to threaten the Bulldogs, would add two consecutive kills as Millsaps added points from back-to-back attack errors to hold their opponents to a 17-7 lead.
The Majors added pressure against their opponents by accumulating a 6-3 run. Bumpers, Boyle and Mika finished the rest on the court, boasting crucial kills to handle the Bulldogs, 25-11 to end the first set with a triumph.
In the second set, Millsaps continued to show they were the better team. Bumpers, coming off a first-set dominance, would record a kill to give the Majors an early 4-1 lead.
Millsaps, showing no mercy, would soon expand their advantage to 17-3. The Bulldogs would try to find room to put points on the volleyball scoreboard.
With Millsaps locked into the matchup, Bohl and Bumpers would trample the Bulldogs with three kills to push the Majors ahead, 22-8.
Millsaps keeping the fire going would record two kills by Baer and sophomore McCullough Lawson to end the second set in a 25-11 decision.
In the third set, Tougaloo put up a challenge against the Majors. Both teams would go back and forth in total points traded.
However, Tougaloo would soon find themselves trailing behind as Millsaps' offensive tempo built a 13-10 lead.
Millsaps communicating amongst each other and working together as a team, followed with an 11-3 run to better the Bulldogs 25-13 on Friday night.
The Majors will continue their home schedule next against Rhodes College on Thursday, Oct. 9 inside the Hangar Dome, beginning at 5 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep updated with everything surrounding the Millsaps College 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.
