HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The William Carey Volleyball Team once again found themselves battling through their third set syndrome but in the end the Lady Crusaders prevailed, defeating Point University in four sets Saturday afternoon at the Ben Waddle Complex.
After dropping the first three points to start the match, Carey got on the board with an attack error by the Sky Hawks and then took the lead with back-to-back aces by
Sofia Bettini and another error by Point.
From there both teams traded shots along with taking turns with lead but with the Lady Crusaders leading 11-10 they put some distance between themselves and the Sky Hawks with a 6-2 run. That separation proved valuable, as Point fought their way back to within at 22-21. However, they would get no closer, as the Lady Crusaders got back-to-back kills from
Barbara Guedes and Bettini with an error sealing the first set victory.
It was much of the same in the second set, as both teams went back and forth at the start and just like the first set, Carey managed to pull away to a 16-12 advantage. Also, just like in the first set, the Sky Hawks fought their way back behind a 6-0 run to take the lead. The lead was short lived, as the Lady Crusaders countered to retake the lead 22-20. Carey would get within one point of taking the set on an attack error and a kill by Bettini with
Suelen Lima clinching the set.
Carey got off to terrible start in the third set, as the Sky Hawks built a 9-3 lead. WCU managed to cut the deficit to 15-12 but would get no closer, as Point pulled away for good, taking the set 25-17 to avoid the sweep.
The fourth set started just like the third, as Point jumped out to an early 10-4 advantage. However, this time the Lady Crusaders regained their focus to take the lead behind an 8-0 run. From there each team took turns with the lead. With the set tied at seventeen all, two kills by
Marcella Hermont and one from
Elaina Anderson with a service error by the Sky Hawks gave Carey a 21-19 lead. Anderson would get Carey within one point of the victory with Bettini sealing the win.
Sofia Bettini led the way with 15 kills with
Barbara Guedes adding 12.
Suelen Lima finished with ten kills and 14 digs while Macella Hermont had eleven kills.
Katarina Vulic picked up 50 assists and 16 digs with
Gabriela Maceira having 18 digs.
Carey is back in action Friday, October 25, as they take on UT-Southern in SSAC action. Play is set begin at 6:00 pm at the Ben Waddle Complex.
