Blue Mountain, Miss.- The Blue Mountain Christian University volleyball team avenged an earlier season loss to Xavier University of Louisiana on Friday afternoon, rallying from an opening-set deficit to earn a 3-1 victory in SSAC action.
The Volley Toppers secured the victory with set scores of 22-25, 25-21, 25-23, and 25-21, using strong defensive play, timely serving, and an impressive presence at the net to defeat the Gold Nuggets in the teams' second meeting of the season.
Xavier claimed the opening set 25-22 after a closely contested battle, but Blue Mountain Christian responded in the second frame. The Volley Toppers improved their offensive efficiency, hitting .206 in the set, to even the match with a 25-21 victory.
The third set proved to be another tightly contested battle as both teams fought for control of the match. BMCU remained composed in the closing moments, edging Xavier 25-23 to take a 2-1 advantage.
With momentum on their side, the Volley Toppers continued their strong defensive effort in the fourth set, closing out the match with a 25-21 victory to complete the comeback and earn redemption against the Gold Nuggets.
Marissa Gerleman led the offensive attack for Blue Mountain Christian, finishing with a match-high 17 kills.
Salice Speed added nine kills while contributing three service aces and 16 digs in an impressive all-around performance.
Alexis Scott delivered a standout performance from the service line and defensively, recording a match-high six service aces while leading the Volley Toppers with 19 digs. Her efforts helped BMCU finish with 14 total service aces, compared to Xavier's eight.
Brenyn Wilbanks directed the offense with a team-high 22 assists while adding eight digs.
Sydney Tague contributed seven assists to help facilitate the Volley Toppers' attack.
At the net, Blue Mountain Christian established a strong defensive presence throughout the afternoon.
Olivia Lewis and
Mattie Hopper each contributed five blocks, while
Elle Clayton added three. As a team, the Volley Toppers recorded 10 total blocks, including one solo block and 18 block assists, limiting Xavier to a .085 hitting percentage.
Despite Xavier holding a 52-40 advantage in kills, BMCU capitalized on its defensive efforts and serving opportunities to secure the conference victory. The Volley Toppers finished with a .102 hitting percentage while recording 69 digs and 38 assists.
The victory highlighted Blue Mountain Christian's resilience as the Volley Toppers responded after dropping the opening set and captured three consecutive sets.
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