MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Scots fell to the Rhodes College Lynx in final match at the Rhodes College Invitational today. Lyon fell in three sets to Rhodes (25-13,25-18,25-15).
Ella Gardner put the Scots in front 4-0 in the opening set, serving consecutive aces before an attack error and a
Keeley Beary kill from Gardner. Rhodes answered with nine straight points to move ahead 9-4, a stretch that included two aces along with kills by Rachel Clarke, Isabella Kventensky, and another player. The Scots stopped that run on a Gardner kill and later got kills from
Pascha Wistrand, Beary,
Morgan Harrelson, and
Sofia Santis, but Rhodes pushed the margin to 20-10 with an ace, a kill, and a block. Wistrand and Beary added late kills for the Scots before Rhodes reached set point at 24-13 on a kill and finished the set 25-13.
Rhodes opened the second set with six straight points on serve, before the Scots worked back into the set. After Rhodes moved ahead 8-2, the Scots scored seven straight points, with Santis serving the final six and recording three aces as
Reyleigh Twist and Wistrand added kills to put the Scots in front 9-8. The set stayed close through the middle stages, and the Scots moved ahead 13-11 on kills by Twist and Harrelson before Rhodes answered to go up 16-14, with the Scots tying it again at 16-16 on a bad set and a block by Wistrand and
Ryan Russell. Rhodes responded with four straight points to lead 20-16, and after the Scots got kills from Wistrand and Beary to pull within 20-18, Rhodes scored the final five points to take the set 25-18.
The Scots opened the third set with a block by Wistrand and Beary, but Rhodes moved in front 3-1 off three kills. Beary's kill and
Chaney McCance's ace helped the Scots tie the set at 4-4, and later kills from
Nevaeh Ghan, Wistrand, Beary, and Harrelson kept the Scots within 13-15. A Scots service error started a five-point Rhodes stretch to move ahead 20-13. Russell and Wistrand added late kills for the Scots, but Rhodes closed the set on kill, a Scots attack error, and a block for a 25-15 finish.
Wistrand led the Scots with seven kills and eight points, adding two block assists. Gardner recorded 12 assists, six digs, and two service aces. Santis converted her only attack, served three aces, and added five digs. Twist collected nine digs and added two kills.
Scots will travel to Conway, AR to face the Central Baptist College Mustangs on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 PM.
