DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College women's volleyball team (4-5, 1-0 CC) defeated Young Harris College (0-4, 0-1 CC) in four sets in the Fleet's home and conference opener at Belk Arena on Friday night.

Erskine jumped out to an early 2-0 lead behind individual standouts Ailena Mykins (25 assists, 6 aces), Ali Angell (13 kills), and Mahayla Law (20 digs) and closed out the Mountain Lions with a huge run late in the fourth set to start Conference Carolinas play in the win column.
 
MATCH STAT LEADERS vs Young Harris (3-1 FINAL, 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 25-16)
KILLS: Ali Angell (13)
ACES: Ailena Mykins (6)
BLOCKS: 3 players with 3
ASSISTS: Ailena Mykins (25)
DIGS: Mahayla Law (20)

HOW IT HAPPENED
On its home court for the first time in 2024, Erskine welcomed in Young Harris to also begin conference play on Friday night. And the Fleet came flying out of the gates, jumping out to a commanding 15-3 lead in the opening set behind three kills apiece from Becca Yohe and Ali Angell. YHC made a run later in the set, but the Erskine lead was far too sizeable and an Alexis Waddy kill sealed a wire-to-wire opening set win. Set 2 was more competitive, but an early 6-1 scoring run from Erskine helped them take a 7-4 lead. The Mountain Lions climbed back within a point, but freshman Ella Dietrich delivered a much-needed kill that was instantly followed by an ace from Ailena Mykins to get the Fleet's advantage back to three, 21-18. A couple Young Harris mistake led to four set points for the Fleet, and Yohe came through with another kill on the first set point as Erskine took a 2-0 lead in the match. Aces from Mykins, Astyn Casey, and Meghan DeWalt helped Erskine overcome a slow start in Set 3, but mistakes cost the Fleet throughout the set as YHC avoided the sweep. Young Harris continued on its momentum, taking the first two points of Set 4, until the Fleet responded with a 6-0 burst, fueled by a pair of kills from Ryleigh Taylor. Yohe and Angell helped the Fleet preserve their lead, until Erskine blew it wide open with another torrid run later in the set. With Erskine leading 13-10, the Fleet rattled off nine straight points, thanks to a long serving run from Mykins that included two more aces from the sophomore setter. Kills from Dietrich and Angell moments later had the Fleet within a point of winning their home opener. The Mountain Lions fended off the first few match points, but then Mykins capped her career night with a rare kill on a spectular effort to win a broken point and seal a four-set victory for the Fleet.
 
THE PLAYER
Sophomore setter Ailena Mykins dished out 25 assists, racked up a career-high 6 aces, totaled 9 digs, and even added a kill on match point, as she stuffed the stat sheet to help Erskine to a win in its home and conference opener.

THE TEAM
Erskine hit .183 (47 K / 24 E / 126 TA) for the match and doubled up Young Harris in aces, 10 to 5, as well as having a 6-5 advantage in blocks.

WHAT'S NEXT? 
Erskine is back in action on its home court on Saturday afternoon to take on the University of Mount Olive (3-5, 0-1 CC) at 12 p.m. This will be the first meeting in Due West between the team since 2022, when the Fleet were beaten in four sets.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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