SHREVEPORT, La. – After a tough loss by the Ladies to Texas Lutheran (9-21, 6-10 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) in five sets, 11-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-13, 15-12, Centenary (16-17, 7-9 SCAC) rebounded for a four set win against Schreiner (3-27, 2-14 SCAC) 23-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-20 Sunday afternoon, October 28.
After losing a tough match in five sets to the Bulldogs, the Ladies lost the first set to Schreiner and trailed 24-23 in the second. Freshman Lauren Kelley recorded a kill to repel one set point, but a kill from the Mountaineers gave the visitors another set point. Kelley tied the set back up with a kill, and two kills from senior Michaela Brantley tied the match.
Kelley finished the match with 16 kills and three errors on 30 swings (.433 hitting percentage).
Centenary trailed 17-13 in set three, but a 10-1 run put the Ladies up. After a timeout, freshman Elizabeth Epley got a kill. An attack error and an assisted block by Epley and freshman Rachel Demejian brought Centenary within one. Both team sided out, and another Epley kill tied the set. Senior Shyann Pisano hit an ace and an attack error brought Centenary to 20. Two aces by Pisano and another error by Schreiner put Centenary up five. The Ladies went on to win the set by four.
Centenary led by as much as six in set four, but Schreiner rallied to pull within 22-19. That is when junior Kristian Loving recorded a dig off a Schreiner attack that went over the net that fell in for a kill. A Demerjian ace put Centenary on set point. Both teams sided out as Centenary won in four sets to qualify for the SCAC Tournament for the second consecutive season.
Brantley recorded 10 kills while Demerjian finished with the double-double with 47 assists and 15 digs.
Schreiner trailed 22-19 in the first, but scored three straight to tie the set. Alexis Coronado and Bianca Olivares recorded kills and a solo block by Amanda Combs tied the set. After both teams sided out, a Coronado kill put Schreiner on set point. A Coronado kill gave the visitors set one.
Coronado finished with 13 kills and 21 assists, while Combs added 10 blocks. Schreiner stayed close to Centenary thanks to a 15-4 edge in blocks.
In match two, Centenary led 17-10 in set one before and 8-1 run gave the Ladies first frame. After a Brantley kill, two errors and an ace from junior Marissa Sandoval increased the lead to double digits. After both teams sided out, two aces from Loving and a kill from freshman Alyssa Davis gave Centenary the first set.
Davis finished with 12 kills, while Sandoval added 33 digs.
Texas Lutheran claimed set two and four, while the Ladies took set three as the two teams went to the fifth.
In the fifth set, Centenary held a 5-4 lead before four straight by the Bulldogs. Centenary hit an error and three kills from Savannah Kitchens put Texas Lutheran up three. The Bulldogs went on to win the set by three.
Peyton Sulak led Texas Lutheran with 14 kills and seven blocks, while Kelly Juden added 44 assists and 20 digs.
Centenary, the fifth seed in the upcoming SCAC Tournament, will take on host Dallas Friday, November 2. The first serve in Irving, Texas, is set for 3:30 p.m. However, the Ladies finish the regular season Tuesday, October 13, at Jarvis Christian. First serve in Hawkins, Texas, is set for 6 p.m.