LITTLE ROCK – The Lyon College volleyball team got off to a strong start to begin its 2021 season as the Scots earned a pair of four-set victories over Paul Quinn College and Southwestern Christian on the opening day of the Philander Smith College Tournament.
Match One: Lyon 3, Paul Quinn 1 (22-25, 25-13, 25-15, 25-19)
Despite the score staying close for much of the first set, the Scots found themselves ahead, 15-10, following a kill by Paeton Tucker. The Scots extended their lead to 17-11 on an ace by Tucker before Paul Quinn rallied back to tie the score at 18-18. PQC carried their momentum the rest of the set and took game one, 25-22.
It was all Lyon in the second set as the Scots took a 21-10 lead late on a kill by Isabella Beasley. Charm Henderson closed the set with back-to-back kills as Lyon took game two, 25-13.
Much like the second set, the Scots jumped out to a commanding lead in game three as back-to-back errors by PQC gave Lyon an 8-2 advantage. Paul Quinn closed the gap to three, 10-7, but the Scots extended their lead to 21-13 following a block by Samantha Ferguson and Beasley. The Scots went on to take game three by a score of 25-15 following a kill each by Tucker and Ferguson.
A kill by Maria Eleni Bampiri gave the Scots an early 8-2 lead for the Scots to open up the fourth set. Once again, Paul Quinn pulled their way back into a set as they cut the deficit to two, 14-12, before the Scots extended their lead to 20-14 after a kill by Beasley. Adia Sherbeyn closed out to set with an ace as the Scots took game four, 25-19.
Natalia Szymanska and Henderson led the Scots with nine kills each, while Layla Wilson and Laney Blankenship finished with 18 and 17 assists, respectively. Sherbeyn recorded a match-high 14 digs in the win.
Match Two: Lyon 3, Southwestern Christian 1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22)
Set one opened up as a seesaw battle between Lyon and Southwestern Christian as neither side led by more than two points until the Scots rallied midway through the set and took a 16-8 lead following a block by Bampiri. The Scots held a comfortable lead the rest of the set and took game one, 25-18.
Lyon took an early 5-4 lead in the second set on a kill by Henderson, but Southwestern Christian overtook the lead shortly after and would not relinquish their lead the rest of the way as the Eagles took game two, 25-21.
The Scots took the first four points of the third set before it turned into a back-and-forth battle as neither team led by more than two points midway through the set. An ace by Erin Haigwood broke the trend and gave the Scots a 19-16 lead and forced the Eagles to take a timeout. The Scots would keep their momentum, however, and won game three by a score of 25-19 following a pair of kills by Ferguson.
A 6-0 run midway through the fourth set by the Scots proved to be the difference in the game as the Eagles pulled back within three, 21-18. The Scots closed out the set with back-to-back kills by Henderson as Lyon took game four, 25-22.
Tucker and Henderson both lead the Scots offensively as the duo finished with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Wilson recorded her first-career double-double as she finished with 28 assists to go along with 11 digs. Sherbeyn collected a match-high 22 digs in the win.
The Scots will play their final two matches at the Philander Smith College Tournament tomorrow when they take on Wiley College at 2 p.m. and Jarvis Christian at 4 p.m.
