SHERMAN, Texas - The Ladies Volleyball team closed out the weekend with a pair of losses at the Austin College Invitation Saturday, September 1. Centenary (0-3) fell to Hendrix (4-0) in straight sets, 25-22, 25-19, 25-13. The Ladies fell to Hardin-Simmons (4-0) 25-15, 25-23, 20-25, 25-19.
In the final match of the day against Hardin-Simmons, the Ladies dropped the first two sets before winning the third after starting with leads of 4-0 and 10-3. Senior Makenzie Shaw started the set with a kill. After a setting error by Hardin-Simmons, a pair of aces from senior Hailey Lawson quickly put Centenary up four. With Centenary leading 6-3, another four unanswered put Centenary up 10-3. After a freshman Rachel Demerjian kill, kills by senior Shannon Orlopp and freshman Alyssa Davis around a Hardin-Simmons error put Centenary up 10-3. The Ladies went on to win the set by five.
Davis recorded a match best 18 kills, while freshman Lauren Kelley added 10. Demerjian tallied her second double-double on the weekend with 17 assists and 13 digs. Lawson, Centenary's career leader in aces, added three more to her total.
In the fourth set, Centenary trailed 19-14 before scoring four straight. An Orlopp kill put the Ladies on serve. An attack error, a Kelley kill, and a Davis ace pulled the Ladies within one. However, with Centenary down 20-19, five-straight points by Hardin-Simmons ended the match. Morgan Prince pushed the lead to two with a kill before two kills from Kaytlynn Lewis pushed the lead to four. A Megan Bauer kill and a Ladies error ended the match.
Allison Kuster (12 kills and 19 digs) and Ashley Pierce (25 assists and 15 digs) recorded double-doubles for Hardin-Simmons in the win.
In the first set of the day against Hendrix, Centenary rallied from a 16-9 deficit to take a 19-18 lead. Down seven, kills by Demerjian and senior Shyann Pisano cut the deficit to five. An assisted block by senior Michaela Brantley and Pisano drew the Ladies closer. After both teams traded points, a kill from Shaw and a Pisano ace cut the deficit to two. Hendrix scored the next point, but four unanswered gave Centenary the lead. A service error put the Ladies on serve, and an ace from junior Marissa Sandoval, a Warriors error, and a Davis kill gave Centenary its first lead since 4-3.
Hendrix retook a 23-22 lead before two hitting errors by Centenary ended the first set.
Junior Kristian Loving and Sandoval led Centenary with 10 digs. Lauren Dwyer (10 kills and 12 digs) and Claire Smith (16 assists and 11 digs) added double-doubles for Hendrix.
Centenary returns to action Tuesday, September 4, with a tri-match in Marshall, Texas. The Ladies take on Wiley at 2 p.m., before finishing the night at 7 p.m. against host East Texas Baptist.
