LITTLE ROCK – The Lyon College volleyball team ended its stay at the Philander Smith College Tournament with a pair of sweeps over Wiley College and Jarvis Christian College on Saturday afternoon.
With the two wins, the Scots improved their record to 4-0 to begin the season.
Match One: Lyon 3, Wiley College 0 (27-25, 25-22, 28-26)
The Scots came away with a win in three tightly-contested sets to begin the day against Wiley College. Lyon and Wiley kept the first set within two points the entire way as a block by Charm Henderson and Maria Eleni Bampiri broke a 25-25 tie and gave the Scots a one-point lead. Layla Wilson finished off the set with an ace as the Scots took game one, 27-25.
The Scots found themselves trailing, 13-9, midway through the second set before a kill by Samantha Ferguson tied the score at 16-16. The momentum shifted in the Scots' favor from there as Lyon pulled ahead, 24-17, on a kill by Paeton Tucker. WC made things interesting late, however, and pulled back within three, 24-21, before Bampiri put down a kill and gave the Scots a 25-21 win in set two.
Lyon looked as if it would run away with the third set as the Scots jumped out to a 9-4 lead on a kill by Tucker but Wiley College pulled its way back into the set and tied the score a 24-24. The two teams went on to exchange the lead but a kill by Henderson and an attack error by WC sealed the victory for the Scots.
Szymanska led the Scots offensively with a match-high 12 kills, while Adia Sherbeyn collected a match-high 13 digs. Layla Wilson dished out a match-high 21 assists in the win for the Scots.
Match Two: Lyon 3, Jarvis Christian College (25-12, 25-14, 27-25)
Lyon College ran away with the first two sets, winning by scores of 25-12 and 25-14, but Jarvis Christian kept it close against the Scots in the third set. The Scots found themselves with a comfortable, 15-9, lead, but JCC worked its way back into the set and overtook the lead, 18-17. Jarvis Christian extended its lead to 24-20 but the Scots came up with a rally of their own and knotted the score at 24-24. The two teams traded a point each before a kill by Henderson and Katelyn Vanlandingham gave the Scots a 27-25 win in the third set.
Szymanska once again led the Scots with a match-high eight kills while Isabella Beasley added seven. Sherbeyn totaled a match-high eight digs, while Erin Haigwood added six digs. Wilson and Laney Blankenship finished with 19 and 17 assists, respectively.
The Scots will return to the court on Tuesday when they take on Bethel in their home opener at 6 p.m.
