ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College volleyball team played the match of the season on Friday afternoon coming back to edge out the Averett Cougars 3-2 in five dramatic sets. The match was highlighted by senior Sam Butensky going over 1,000 digs in her career.
After four closely contested sets, the Bishops would go on a 5-0 run early in the fifth set to lead 7-4 and then gained a match point leading 14-12 in the 5th set until Averett would rally from behind to take a 16-15 lead. However, Wesleyan would then go on a match clinching 4-1 run to take the upset 19-17 for their third win of the season.
Wesleyan finished with 55 kills and 84 digs in the match along with 10 solo blocks and 16 assisted blocks.
Averett (8-6, 4-2) would dominate the first set winning 25-20 on 15 kills before the Bishops held off the Cougars to win the second 25-23 on 11 kills. A back-and-forth third then went to extra points with the Bishops prevailing 30-28 on 13 kills. Wesleyan then led 21-17 late in the 4th set, but could not close it out as AU clawed back to outscore the Bishops 9-3 to take it 26-24 before the Bishops heroics in the fifth.
Middle Blockers Lauren Weaver and Sydney Barnwell led the Bishops in the win as they each registered season-highs of 16 kills apiece with Barnwell hitting a season-best .323 along with 2 aces and 6 blocks. Weaver also tallied 5 total blocks.
Also playing well and recording double-doubles in the match were junior right side Michaela Seawell and freshman setter Sloan Martin. Seawell finished with 11 kills and 12 digs along with 5 aces and 6 blocks while Martin had 49 assists, 13 digs, 2 blocks, 2 kills, and an ace.
Senior outside hitter Callie Cline had a nice game as well leading the team in digs with 20 while registering 5 kills and 2 blocks while fellow senior, right side Augusta Preston recorded 5 kills with 7 digs and 4 blocks. Butensky also finished with 17 digs and 2 assists.
WPU 3, NCWC 1
In the second match of the day the Bishops battled hard with conference leader William Peace taking them to foru sets but falling short in the end. WPU won the first set 25-16 on 17 kills while Wesleyan came charging back in the second set winning 25-18 on 15 kills and hitting .324. Peace then won the third set 25-18 while hitting .387 with 16 kills before clinching the match in the 4th set taking it 25-20 even as the Bishops tallied 12 kills.
Weaver again led the Bishops with 15 kills and 4 blocks while hitting .323. Barnwell also played well scoring 12 kills with a team-best .391 attacke percentage along with 3 digs and 2 solo blocks.
Butensky then added 17 digs defensively with an ace while Cline tallied 14 digs and 5 kills. Preston also recorded 7 kills with 2 digs and a block while Martin had 42 assists, 5 digs, a kill and a block assist. Seawell also registered 5 kills and 8 digs with sophomore OH/DS Aubrey Nicholson leading with 3 aces.
Wesleyan now sits at 3-9 overall and 2-4 in the conference while WPU improves to 11-1.
The Bishops will next return to action on April 10 when they remain home to host Methodist in a 2 PM doubleheader.