Savannah, GA – The Erskine Women's Volleyball team got off to a sluggish start, but finished strong in the 5th set to open the season with a 3-2 win at the 2015 Pirate Invitational held at Armstrong State University.
 
The match, which lasted two hours and fourteen minutes, featured back and forth action that ended up coming down to the last point in the 5th and deciding set.  The Tornado of Brevard raced out to a 10-2 lead partly due to errors by the Fleet.  They could not overcome those early errors and the Tornado would take the 1st set, 25-14.  

After a few substitutions prior to the 2nd set, Erskine responded with an early run of their own.  Sophomore Kristen Dodge capped the run with a service ace to give the Fleet an early 6-0 lead.  Brevard would never get within three points the rest of the set and the Fleet would run away with a 25-16 victory. 

Erskine again committed several early errors and the Tornado raced out to a 5-0 lead in the 3rd set.  However, this time the Fleet responded.  Senior Kelly Sullivan ended Brevard's rally with back to back kills.  She would total 5 kills in the set and the Fleet would race ahead for another 25-16 victory.  

In the 4th, it was the Tornados opportunity to respond.  Brevard would use a mid-set run to take the lead and hold on for the 25-21 victory.   

The 5th set included 4 ties and 2 lead changes.  The Tornado took their first lead of the set at 14-13 and the Fleet responded with 3 straight points to take the set and the match, 16-14.  The last two points coming on kills by Junior Marissa Mayfield which were assisted by Kristen Dodge.  

Vahjen was proud of her team, but is looking forward to more improvement.  

"I know that we are capable of more, but am pleased that they were able to close out our first match with a win", stated Vahjen.

Dodge contributed all over the court tallying a game high 42 assists as well as 12 digs and 11 kills.  Sullivan added a game high 14 kills and in her first game Freshman Payton Duncan delivered 13 kills and 18 digs.  Junior Kendall Kurt was tremendous defensively racking up a game high 32 kills.  

The Fleet (1-0) will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at the Pirate Invitational facing Lincoln Memorial University (0-1) at 11 am.  Later tomorrow they will face off against Tusculum College (1-0), who upset host Armstrong State tonight, at 2:30 pm.