LADIES DROP PAIR OF MATCHES ON FINAL DAY OF HIGHLANDER INVITATIONAL; EARN SPLIT ON FINAL DAY OF MILLSAPS/BELHAVEN INVITATIONAL

The Centenary Ladies volleyball team dropped a pair of non-conference matches on Saturday, the final day of the Lyon College Highlander Invitational, falling to College of the Ozarks and Mid-America Christian University by scores of 3-0 at Becknell Gymnasium. 

Centenary split a pair of matches on Friday, defeating Jarvis Christian 3-2 and falling 3-0 to Lyon. The Ladies (3-5) took a unique approach to the start of their season this weekend as the roster was split evenly, with half of the team playing in the Highlander Invitational and half participating in the Millsaps/Belhaven Invitational in Jackson, Miss. Centenary defeated Belhaven, 3-1, and lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor 3-0 in Jackson on Saturday inside Rugg Arena at Heidelberg Gymnasium.

"We have a roster of 21 this season which includes 14 freshmen and sophomores," said Centenary head coach Ashley McDonough. For me, it was more important for every player to touch the court minus the three players that are currently injured of course. Wins and losses were a secondary concern for me so I sent half the team to Mississippi and half to Arkansas."

"Because of the way things went last year with the shortened season due to COVID-19 I felt like my sophomores were basically still freshmen. I also wanted every kid to physically take part in both our successes and our shortfalls. Hopefully the kids who won't play much the rest of the season have more deeply felt the rush of competition and it will make them want to work harder to find court time. I love and appreciate the hard work all of my players put in. Our bench players needed this weekend to better feel what the starters mentally go through."

Lyon College Highlander Invitational Match 1 Recap (College of the Ozarks 3 Centenary 0):

The Ladies fell to the College of the Ozarks Bobcats by scores of 25-18 in the first set, 25-6 in set two, and 25-10 in set three of their opening match of the day on Saturday in the Lyon College Highlander Invitational in Batesville, Ark.

The Ladies dropped to 2-3 on the season with the loss while the Bobcats improved to 4-1. Sophomore DS/L Tori Ligman (Bossier City, La.) led then team with 13 digs while fellow sophomore MB/OH Robin Lemelle (Liberty, Texas) added nine and added five kills. Senior OH Lauren Kelley Fort Worth, Texas) had a solid match with seven digs and six kills. Junior DS Mariah Martinez (San Antonio, Texas) recorded eight assists and seven digs.

Lyon College Highlander Invitational Match 2 Recap (Mid-America Christian 3 Centenary 0):

In their second and final match of the day in the Lyon College Highlander Invitational, the Ladies (3-5) dropped a 3-0 decision to the Mid-America Christian University Evangels (8-3).

Ligman recorded a team-high 11 digs, giving her 24 for the day, and Martinez had 11 assists and six digs. Lemelle added nine digs and three kills, Kelley posted five digs and four kills, and freshman DS Allana Scott-Daniels (Spring, Texas) had six digs and one ace.

Millsaps/Belhaven Invitational Match 1 Recap (Centenary 3 Belhaven 1):

Centenary defeated the Belhaven Blazers, 3-1, in its opening match of the day on Saturday in the Millsaps/Belhaven Invitational inside Rugg Arena at Heidelberg Gymnasium in Jackson, Miss.

The Ladies (3-3) took set one, 25-20, and then claimed the second set, 25-21. Belhaven narrowly edged the Ladies, 25-22, in set three and then Centenary closed out the match in the fourth set, 25-23.

Senior OH Alyssa Davis (Van Alstyne, Texas) had a superb match as she finished with 19 kills and 16 digs. Freshman OH/DS Kiara Liedy (Sugar Land, Texas) had a great match as she posted 18 digs, three kills, three assists, and four service aces. Freshman RS Jaylin St. Martin (New Orleans, La.) recorded 14 digs, nine kills, two assists, and one ace. Sophomore DS/L Jaycie Proctor (Paris, Texas) had 13 digs, three assists, and two aces. Senior MB Elizabeth Epley (Nashville, Tenn.) posted 11 kills and three assists.

Millsaps/Belhaven Invitational Match 2 Recap (Mary Hardin-Baylor 3 Centenary 0):

Centenary (3-4) fell, 3-0, to Mary Hardin-Baylor in its final match of the day in the Millsaps/Belhaven Invitational in Jackson, Miss.

The Crusaders (5-0) won the first set, 25-17, took set two by a score of 25-12, and closed out the match with a 25-20 win in the third set.

Davis finished off a successful day with a team-leading 23 digs and 10 kills while senior DS/L Marichael Clarin-Jante (Houston, Texas) posted 19 digs and 14 assists. Proctor recorded 15 digs and Liedy and St. Martin combined for 15 digs and St. Martin added six kills and an ace. Junior MB Liz Lowe (San Antonio, Texas) contributed nine kills, two aces, and a dig. Freshman RS Aubrey Salazar (San Antonio, Texas) had seven assists, a dig and a kill.

I wasn't in Arkansas to talk a lot about the specifics of their experience as I was with the other half in Mississippi," said McDonough. I do know that sophomore S Regan Griffin (Arlington, Texas) sustained an injury and junior DS Mariah Martinez (San Antonio, Texas) wound up setting for her and she did a really good job as we have been preparing her for this. They struggled but you can't grow without resistance so it was good for them. Senior OH Lauren Kelley (Fort Worth, Texas) sat last season due to COVID restrictions and she had eye surgery. I sent her with them as a leader and to also make up some of the competitive reps she missed out on. She's definitely a part of our "whole team" starting line-up."

"Our Mississippi group played really well. The teams we faced were solid and we put up decent numbers against Mary Hardin-Baylor with nine kids (including 4 freshmen). We ran a modified 5-1 with a freshman who has never set before and she did great. Freshman RS Jaylin St. Martin (New Orleans, La.) played six rotations all weekend and played like a champ. On Friday, she hit over .300. Senior OH Alyssa Davis (Van Alstyne, Texas) is simply "Alyssa Davis" and had a solid performance. The girls fought hard and I saw a lot of growth."

The Ladies remain on the road next week to face Grambling on Tuesday, Sept. 7 in a non-conference match set for 6 p.m. 

See the complete 2021 Ladies volleyball  season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wvball/2021-22/schedule

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