Milligan wins in five at Montreat

BLACK MOUNTAIN N.C. (Oct. 1, 2019) -- The Milligan College volleyball team went to five sets against Montreat Tuesday night in a back and forth match up which came down to the final two points in the fifth set of the match with Milligan defeating Montreat 17-15. 

Set-by-set

Milligan came out hot in the first set holding onto the lead the entire time and having a seven-point lead at one point. Milligan walked away winning the first set 25-19. Montreat had nine attack errors compared to Milligan's five. 

The second set was a 21-25 Montreat win that went back and forth until the final few points. Montreat pulled away from Milligan with a kill by Ila Elstein which gave them the momentum they needed to clutch the set victory. 

The Cavs carried over the energy from the second set to defeat the Buffs 25-20 in the third set. The score was back and forth as Milligan and Montreat needed the last few points to determine a winner. Milligan went on a five-point run to regain the lead late in the set (18-17) before a Milligan error, a Montreat service ace, and a Cavs kill gave Montreat the momentum they needed to secure the third set. Milligan outkilled Montreat 12 to 11 in the third set, but the Buffs had seven attack errors compared to the Cavs four. 

The fourth set had to go past regulation ending score as the Buffs fought for a 26-24 win against the Cavs. With Milligan's fourth set victory it sent the Buffs into their sixth five set game this season. The fifth set took on the same tone as the rest as it was back and forth the entire time. Milligan had to go into score past regulation ending score to clutch the set and match victory. The Cavaliers had the momentum going into the last few frames with back-to-back kills by China Brown-Woolfolk, but back to back attack errors by the Cavs gave Milligan the victory. 

By the numbers 

Kellee Geren had 49 assists on the night with her main targets being Julia Codispoti with 12 kills, Julie Dockery with 16 who also the highest hitting percentage (.452), and Carley Gregory who recorded a double-double with 17 kills and 10 digs. Layla Grant led the defense with 25 digs. 

Up next 

Milligan returns to Steve Lacy fieldhouse for a home match Friday, Oct. 4, at 5:30 p.m. They then hit the road again and travel to Kentucky Christian on Tuesday, Oct. 8, before returning home for a three game homestand starting Friday, Oct. 11, against Truett-McConnell, Brenau, and Tennessee Wesleyan.