MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. – MATCH 1 - The Volley Toppers of (RV) Blue Mountain Christian opened a four-game road trip Friday at the Milligan Mountain Madness Tournament, opening with a 3-1 victory over Rio Grande 25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-19..
In the first set, the Toppers used four service aces and four combined blocks to grab the opener 25-20, including four kills from Randi Crandall.
The second set was close for the most part, but Blue Mountain ran away with it after kills from Gigi Sasso and Kaytie Rutland, followed by a set-ending ace by Michaela Frederick.
The Toppers jumped out to 5-0 lead in the third, but Rio Grande stormed back to go on a 9-0 run to take it, making it 2-1 Blue Mountain.
The fourth was back and forth until the Toppers would go on a 6-0 run thanks to four attack errors by Rio Grande and a kill from Sasso.  Blue Mountain would finish the show on a kill by Rae Ann Hall.
Sasso led the way with a double-double with 13 kills and 15 digs for Blue Mountain, while Hall and Rutland both had 10 kills apiece.
Reanna Brown and Frederick split duties, with Brown handing out 23 assists and Frederick with 18.  Brown also served up three aces for the Toppers.
Jaiyah Jackson would have 15 digs, while Kora Wilson had 10.  Wilson also had two service aces.  Blue Mountain would get 15 total blocks, with Rutland and A'Dasia Porter both had four combined blocks.
The Toppers swung at a .218 clip in the match, while holding Rio Grande to .154.
 
MATCH 2
In the nightcap, the Toppers would test themselves against the No. 12 team in the nation, the Taylor Trojans.
Despite a strong push by Blue Mountain, the Trojans would prove why they're a Top 25 team by winning 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 25-23).
The Toppers would fall behind two sets to none but fired up the engines in the third. Aided by a 6-0 run midway.  During the the run, A'Dasia Porter and Rae Ann Hall led the charge with key kills.  Porter would get another kill late in the set and Randi Crandall put the set away with a kill.
The Toppers would show true grit in the fourth, being down 13-17 and battling back before Taylor put the set away 25-23.
 Gigi Sasso would record her second double-double of the day, notching 14 kills with 11 digs while swinging at a .128 clip.
Jaiyah Jackson would dig out 17 balls for Blue Mountain and A'Dasia Porter would have four assisted blocks and seven kills.
Reanna Brown tossed out 21 assists in the loss for Blue Mountain and Michaela Frederick chipped in 20 assists.
As a team, Blue Mountain hit at a .211 clip with 51 kills, while Taylor hit .173 with 57 kills.
"We faced two really good teams today and got one of them," BMCU head coach Reid Gann said.  "We did a lot of good things, and I can see us steadily improving, even this early in the season.  It's always good to test ourselves against top teams like Taylor because it will only make us better down the stretch."
BMCU (2-1) returns to action Saturday at the Milligan Tournament, playing Southeastern (Fla.) at 10 a.m. CT and Coastal Georgia at 2:30 p.m. CT.
 
 
 
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