Shreveport – The Centenary volleyball team picked up its first win of the young season on Tuesday evening as the Ladies recorded a 3-1 win over the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Eagles in a non-conference match inside at the Gold Dome.
The Ladies (1-3) got in the win column after losing all three of their matches this past weekend in the Mary Hardin-Baylor Tournament in Belton, Texas. The Ladies fell to Howard Payne and the host Mary Hardin-Baylor on Friday and Hendrix College on Saturday. Centenary lost a tough season opener, 3-2, to Howard Payne and was then swept in the matches by MHB and Hendrix.
The Eagles fell to 2-4 with Tuesday's loss and were in action for the first time since a 3-2 loss at Wiley College on Aug. 27. Centenary and Texas A&M University-Texarkana were meeting for the first time in history on Tuesday. Centenary is an impressive 10-2 in its last 12 home matches.
Centenary rallied to win the first set in clutch fashion, 26-24, after trailing 24-19. A kill by freshman MB Susi Curtis (Haslet, Texas) tied the score at 24-24 and consecutive aces by senior S/RS Rachel Demerjian (Glendora, Calif.) clinched the set for the Ladies. The Eagles took the second set, 25-21, but then Centenary responded with a dominant (25-9) win in set three. The Ladies then closed out the match in the fourth set, 25-19.
The Ladies finished the night with 69 digs, 44 kills, 41 assists, and a season-best 13 aces. The Eagles wound up with 55 digs, 33 kills, 32 assists, and six aces. Sophomore RS Jaylin St. Martin (New Orleans, La.) had a big night with a team-high 17 kills and six aces and added five digs. Senior DS/L Jaycie Proctor (Paris, Texas) led the way with 18 digs and had one ace, one assist, and a dig. Demerjian finished with 17 digs, 25 assists, four aces, and two kills.
Senior MB Caroline Richmond (Marquez, Texas) and senior MB Liz Lowe (San Antonio, Texas) combined to post 14 kills, six digs, and two assists. Junior MB/OH Robin Lemelle (Liberty, Texas) had a season-high 17 digs.
Centenary hits the road again on Thursday as the Ladies will face the Tougaloo College Bulldogs in a non-conference match set for 6 p.m. in Tougaloo, Miss.
See the complete Ladies' schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/schedule
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