SHREVEPORT, La. – After taking the first set, the Ladies fell behind 5-1 in the second as the Wildcats looked to tie the match; however, a 24-4 run jumpstarted Centenary (14-14) to a sweep of Louisiana College (5-20) 25-17, 25-9, 25-20 in a Pelican State battle Monday night, October 22.
Up a set but down 7-5 in the second, 17 unanswered gave Centenary control of set two. Freshman Alyssa Davis recorded a kill and the Ladies proceeded to score 16 on senior Shyann Pisano's serve. Freshman Elizabeth Epley got a kill, two Louisiana College hitting errors, and a solo block by Epley put the Ladies up 10-7. Another Epley kill and a pair of aces gave the Ladies a six-point lead.
Epley finished the match with a .529 hitting percentage, recording nine kills on 17 swings and no errors. She finished 7-13 (.538 hitting percentage) in the second set alone.
With the Ladies up 13-7, a Louisiana College hitting error, two kills from freshman Lauren Kelley and another Wildcat's error pushed the lead to double-digits. A sequence of kills from Epley, freshman Ami Powers, Epley, and Powers, followed by another Louisiana College error, increased the lead to 22-7.
A Centenary hitting error ended the run, but kills from senior Michaela Brantley and Epley put the Ladies on set point. Both teams sided out as Centenary dominated its way to a 16-point set win and a 2-0 lead.
Brantley finished with a .333 hitting percentage with 10 kills and one error on 27 swings. Centenary outhit Louisiana College in the second set .273- negative .073.
The Ladies fell behind 13-10 in the third, but a 7-1 run gave Centenary control of the set. A Kelley kill and two aces by senior Hailey Lawson tied the match. Lawson finished with four aces, three in the third set alone. Errors by both teams kept the set tied, but two kills from freshman Erica Hoops and a junior Marissa Sandoval ace put the Ladies up three.
Louisiana College pulled within 20-19, but kills from Kelley and Hoops pushed the lead back to three. After a sideout by both teams, an attack error and a Lawson ace ended the match.
Tied at 16 in set one, the Ladies scored 9-of-10 to end the frame. A kill from freshman Alyssa Davis, two Louisiana College errors, and a block from Epley-Davis brought Centenary to 20 points. After each team sided out, kills from Kelley, Epley, and a service ace from Pisano put Centenary on set point. A kill from freshman Rachel Demerjian on an overpass ended the set.
Demerjian finished the match with 41 assists and 10 digs to complete the double-double. Davis added two blocks for the match and now has at least one in the last six matches.
Louisiana College fell behind 16-13 in the opening set, but a kill and an ace from Sadi Jones, followed by a kill from Paola Salas Adorno, tied the set.
Adorno led the Wildcats with 11 kills, while Jones hit .400 with seven kills and only one error on 15 swings. Jones also tallied all five aces for the visitors.
Centenary returns to action Wednesday, October 24, for a match at Grambling State. First serve is set for 6 p.m.