JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps volleyball team made an impressive showing in its own Millsaps Invitational by earning four victories, three via sweep, over the weekend inside the Hangar Dome.
The Majors extended its win streak to eight matches and improved to 9-4 by downing Centenary (3-0) and Belhaven (3-1) on Friday before cruises past University of Dallas and Lyon in straight sets on Saturday.
Match 1: Millsaps 3, Centenary 0
(25-20, 25-14, 25-9)
Senior Ally Baer recorded nine kills, three digs and two service aces in Friday's opening contest.
Classmate Olivia Danos was effective from the service line, posting four service aces, six digs, one assist and a kill.
Junior Sandy Bourgeois anchored the defense with 11 digs, three assists and one kill.
Freshman Rachel Zamjahn led the Majors offense with 25 assists while recording seven digs and three kills.
Senior Trista Naquin added seven kills, junior Zoë LaCaze registered six kills and two digs and freshman Madelynn Sasser accumulated four kills and three digs.
Senior Mallory Richardson held down the court with seven kills and one dig to help the Majors sweep Centenary in three sets.
Millsaps started the first set with a commanding lead, driven by Danos' serving, including two service aces that contributed to a 4-0 start.
LaCaze was instrumental, securing three early kills and Bourgeois added a service ace to maintain momentum as they help build an 8-2 run.
Down 17-10, Centenary would answer back on a 9-3 run to decrease its deficit to 20-19.
Millsaps then responded with a kill by Baer and a LaCaze service ace to capture the set 25-20, following a 5-1 run.
Zamjahn's consistent setting saw a series of kills by Baer, who also contributed two service aces during a critical run, which would extend the Majors' advantage to 12-3 in the second set.
Staying on fire, Millsaps maintained their momentum through the set, with Baer, Zamjahn and Richardson sealing the 25-14 win with three consecutive kills closing on a Major 4-0 run.
In the third set, Millsaps established an early lead with a 13-3 run, highlighted by four Major kills, a service ace and a series of attack errors forced upon by Centenary.
The Majors led 16-7 when Naquin and LaCaze each delivered pivotal kills, capitalizing on precise assists from Zamjahn, who orchestrated a well-distributed offense throughout the set to keep the Majors' lead at large.
Millsaps continued their momentum, with LaCaze and Baer working together to contribute kills late in the match. Despite their opponents playing hard to make a comeback.
The Majors secured a decisive 25-9 victory to close out the match in the third set after erupting on a 9-2 run early against the Ladies.
Match 2: Millsaps 3, Belhaven 1
(25-19, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18)
Coming off a strong performance against Centenary, Zamjahn recorded a double-double of 31 assists and 16 digs while registering two block assists and five kills.
Baer finished with 14 kills, three block assists, and five digs. Bourgeois erupted with 22 digs, seven assists, and one kill.
Freshman Laila Fredieu topped the Blazers with 10 digs, three assists, and one kill. Naquin boasted nine kills, one assist, a block assist, and a dig.
Richardson posted four kills and three digs, and LaCaze dominated the Blazers with six kills, one assist, a block assist, and three digs.
Sasser set the tone for her teammates with five kills, one block assist, and a dig.
In the first set Millsaps took an early 9-2 run registered five kills, three service aces and a service error.
Moments later the Blazers placed their focus on a 4-0 run led by the Majors four attack errors to cut their deficit down, 15-10.
However, Millsaps maintained their advantage with key kills from Baer and Zamjahn, ultimately securing the set 25-19.
In the second set the Blazers took an early 4-1 run, before both teams battled points back and forth.
Belhaven would maintain their lead, moving ahead to 11-9 in a close matchup.
Shortly afterwards Millsaps would capitalize on Belhaven's missteps to level the score at 14-14.
Both teams would continue trading points back and forth amongst each other before the Blazers would ignite on an 11-6 run to take set two 25-20.
In the third set, both teams continued to alternate points amongst each other however, at the bottom of the set, Millsaps would take a 24-22 lead to catch their breath.
The Majors took a 5-1 as an attack error lead by Richardson, Fredieu, Naquin, and Drury impressive kills defeated the Blazers, closing out the third set 27-25.
In the fourth set, Millsaps utilized a 5-1 run led by a pair of kills by Zamjahn and Naquin, a service error, an attack error, and a service ace to stay ahead of the Blazers 7-3.
Zamjahn's consistent play-making was pivotal, contributing multiple assists, including a key setup for a kill by Sasser extending the Majors advantage to 16-10.
Despite a brief Belhaven rally closing the gap to 22-18, Millsaps sealed the set with a decisive kill by Sasser, assisted by Zamjahn, to conclude the set 25-18.
Match 3: Millsaps 3, Dallas 0
(25-20, 25-10, 25-11)
Baer was sensational in the first match on Saturday, leading the Majors with a career-high tying 18 kills, eight digs and three total blocks.
Bourgeois contributed 21 digs and three assists along with her accolades.
Richardson added six kills and one assist and three digs. Zamjahn had an outstanding day on the court, registering 28 assists while accumulating nine digs and one block assist.
Junior Amelia Bohl recorded seven kills and seven digs to down the Crusaders in three sets.
The first set opened with Millsaps establishing an early rhythm, capitalizing on multiple attack errors from Dallas to build a 4-1 lead.
Ally Baer was instrumental, recording several key kills and teaming with Zamjahn on a block that extended the advantage to 8-2.
Dallas mounted a comeback to tie the score at 12-12, but Millsaps answered back, with Naquin and Richardson contributing critical kills to regain control.
Baer continued her dominant performance with a series of late kills, as Millsaps closed the set with a decisive 25-20 victory.
In the second set, Millsaps surged with a commanding start, taking an early 4-0 lead, highlighted by Baer's back-to-back kills.
She continued to be a force at the net, amassing multiple kills to extend the lead to 14-2.
Zamjahn was instrumental in spreading the offense, providing numerous assists throughout the set, including one to Bohl for a service ace to close out the set 25-10.
The third set opened with Millsaps taking a commanding lead, as Zamjahn orchestrated a series of successful plays.
Contributing to the team's early 4-0 run, including kills by freshman Lily Luneau and Richardson.
A significant moment occurred when Bourgeois delivered back-to-back service aces, extending the lead to 23-10.
Millsaps maintained their control throughout the set, Bohl and Baer added crucial kills, to ultimately seal the set with a decisive 25-11 victory.
Match 4: Millsaps 3, Lyon 0
(25-13, 25-21, 25-19)
Millsaps swept Lyon in straight sets, 25-13, 25-21, 25-19 to close the Millsaps Invitational 4-0 on Saturday. Millsaps showcased strong serving with 10 aces and limited errors, while the Scots struggled with a .121 hitting percentage. The victory was marked by Millsaps' 47 digs, effectively stifling Lyon's offense throughout the match.
Richardson led the Millsaps attack with 11 kills on 16 swings, hitting at a .563 clip. Sandy Bourgeois contributed defensively with 18 digs, the highest on the team. Bohl added to the service game with four aces, while Baer recorded six kills and two aces, finishing with 8.5 points.
Millsaps opened set one with a commanding 5-0 run, highlighted by Danos' service ace and a kill from Richardson assisted by Zamjahn.
The home team maintained momentum with Amelia Bohl delivering another service ace, and Zamjahn orchestrating the offense with multiple assists. The set concluded decisively in Millsaps's favor, 25-13, as Bohl capped off the set with another service ace and a final attack error by Lyon's Keeley Beary.
Set two opened with a quick kill from Bohl, assisted by Zamjahn, setting the tone for a tightly contested set. Richardson and Sasser each delivered key kills during a mid-set surge, capitalizing on Zamjahn's precise setting to push the home team ahead.
The set concluded with a service error from the Scots, sealing a 25-21 victory for Millsaps, with Zamjahn's five assists proving instrumental in the outcome.
Set three began with the visiting team taking an early 3-0 lead, but a series of errors allowed Millsaps to close the gap. The home team then seized control with a pivotal six-point run, fueled by Fredieu's service ace and several attack errors by Lyon, turning a 3-6 deficit into a 10-6 advantage.
Zamjahn's consistent setting facilitated key kills from Richardson and Ally Baer, while Fredieu's efforts at the service line further secured the lead. Millsaps maintained their momentum to close out the set with a 25-19 victory, punctuated by Sasser's decisive kill from Zamjahn.
The next challenge for the Majors takes them to Columbus, Miss., where they will face MUW. The match is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m.
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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.
