Due West, SC – Erskine Volleyball got its first win of the season today against Southern Wesleyan University. After facing two perennial powerhouses in their first two games, the young Fleet team took out their frustrations on SWU, winning the match 3 games to 2.
The Fleet jumped on SWU quickly winning the first two games by scores of 26-24 and 25-19. Unfortunately several mistakes in the 3rd and 4th games would cost the Fleet their momentum as SWU evened the match at 2 apiece with wins of 25-18 and 25-11. The young Fleet kept their composure to win the fifth and deciding game easily 15-7. “The ladies started out very strong in the first two sets but we broke down in the 3rd and 4th sets which gave SWU confidence,” mentioned Head Coach Heather Vahjen.
Larz Chabra did an excellent job running the offense and distributing the ball. Three Fleet players finished with double-digit kills led by Liz Massey (Greenville, SC/Eastside H.S.) with 16 kills, Lauren Stewart (Hartwell, GA/Hart Co. H.S.) with 14 kills, and Alison Albers (Goodhue, MN/Iowa Lakes CC) with 11 kills. Defensively, Brooke Dodge (Duncan, SC/Byrnes H.S.) and Bailey Thornton (Pauline, SC/Dorman H.S.) had 19 each while Erin Tovo (Aiken, SC/Aiken H.S.) had 5 blocks. Coach Vahjen went on to add, “I am very proud of how the ladies responded to the adversity to earn their first win of the year.”
The Fleet play their last game of the Anderson Invitational Tournament at 2 p.m. against Virginia State University. The Fleet return home to play local rival Lander University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
