HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The William Carey Volleyball Team wrapped up the regular season on senior night with a thrilling five set victory over Loyola University Saturday afternoon at the Ben Waddle Complex.
Carey got off to a terrible start in the first set, allowing Loyola to open on a 10-0 run. The first point for Carey would come from a kill by
Suelen Lima to break the run. However, the Wolfpack would take five of next eight points to take a 15-4 lead. WCU managed to get within six but would get no closer as Loyola pulled away for good, taking the set 25-15.
The Lady Crusaders quickly shook off the first set loss, trading shots with the Wolfpack to start the second set. With Loyola leading 10-9, Carey took full advantage of two attack errors, a block, and a service ace to run out to a 13-10 lead to give themselves breathing room. After giving up the next point, the Lady Crusaders seized control of the set with a 7-2 run. Of the seven points, four came by way of a block or a kill. From there Carey cruised to a 25-18 victory
The third set started just like the second with both teams going back and forth. This time it was the Lady Crusaders that were leading 10-9 when they gained some separation with a 7-3 run. Once again Carey gave up the next point but followed with six of the next seven points with four of the points coming off kills to take a commanding 23-14 lead. Lima put Carey within one point of victory with a kill before
Barbara Guedes and Lima sealed the third set victory with a block.
Nothing changed in the fourth set, as both teams kept on battling, with Carey holding the largest lead of the set at 10-7. From there both teams took turns with the lead. Just as it looked as if the Lady Crusaders were in position to take the set leading 23-21, the Wolfpack dug deep taking the next four points to take the set 25-23 and force the deciding fifth set.
After a back and forth start once again, Carey made their move with four straight kills with
Elaina Anderson picking up three and
Marcella Hermont getting the fourth to take an 8-4 lead. Loyola would not go down without a fight, cutting the deficit to three on multiple occasions but with WCU leading 11-8, they sealed the victory with four straight points behind an attack error, a service ace by
Sofia Bettini, and back-to-back blocks by Hermont, Guedes, and Lima.
Suelen Lima led the way offensively with eighteen kills and thirteen digs with
Barbara Guedes and
Elaina Anderson each adding eleven kills.
Katarina Vulic finished with forty-eight assists while Marcella hermont and
Kayla Benedic finished with fourteen digs and eleven digs.
WCU is back in action Thursday, November 14, as they head to Montgomery, Ala. for the SSAC Volleyball Championship. The Lady Crusaders will open the tournament with three pool games. They will play two of those games on Thursday and a third on Friday. Carey will take on Life University at 11:30 am and Blue Mountain at 4:30 pm on Thursday and then face Faulkner at 1:30 PM on Friday.
