For the first time in a decade, the Piedmont University volleyball team began conference play 3-0, adding a pair of wins Saturday over Belhaven and Maryville. The Lions claimed a 3-1 win over the Blazers and toppled the host team Maryville in straight sets 3-0.
Match 1: Piedmont 3, Belhaven 1
The Lions were in a battle against the Blazers with no set decided by more than three points. Piedmont claimed the first two sets before a 26-24 clash that went the Blazers way. All three sets the Lions won were by a score of 25-22.
Kaylee Ashcraft Led all players with 15 kills, while teammate Jenna Ash added 14 of her own. Ashcraft also posted an attack percentage over .350 with just two errors in the match.
Ashcraft continued her stellar success serving by adding seven service aces, marking her third match this season, posting seven or more aces. She added 14 digs in the contest as well.
Vanessa Manzo led the team with 35 assists while also adding 14 digs, as Taylor Herrmann led in that category with 16 digs.
Match 2: Piedmont 3, Maryville 0
Riding the momentum of the first victory of the day, the Lions cruised against Maryville to win 25-15, 25-18 and 25-16.
This win snaps an eight-game losing skid to the Scots and marks the first win on the road at Maryville since 2018. Piedmont had just six more kills than the Scots, but Mayville committed 13 more errors than the Lions.
Ash led Piedmont with eight kills and 10 digs, while Mary-Grace Shaw added 10 digs as well. Piedmont had 10 aces in the match to Maryville’s three, with Ashcraft adding another four.
Ashcraft currently has 45 aces, 30 ahead of her closest teammate.
Up next, the Lions will return home to host Bob Jones on Tuesday, September 26 at 7 p.m.
TURNING POINT:
— With the fourth set tied at 11 against Belhaven, Piedmont used a 7-0 run to build a lead and claim the victory.
— The Lions remained tough against the Scots not allowing them to tally more than 18 points in a set.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
— Kaylee Ashcraft’s 15 kills against Belhaven tied a season-high for the freshman.
— Vanessa Manzo totaled 62 assists in the pair of matches.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
— This marks the first time since 2013 that the Lions have begun conference play 3-0.
