Volleyball opens 2021 season at Keiser Invitational

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (August 18, 2021) – The Milligan University volleyball team opened its season at the Keiser University Invitational and dropped a pair of matches against IU East and William Carey. The Buffs lost in three sets to IU East before falling 3-2 to William Carey. 

IU East 3, Milligan 0 (17-25, 17-25, 16-25)

Fresh off a thrilling five-set victory over Southeastern earlier in the day, IU East scored the first eight points of the match and led by as many as 11 points early in the first set. The Buffs worked back within seven twice, trailing 19-12 and 24-17 before the Red Wolves took the first set 25-17.

Trailing 18-9 in the second set, the Buffs reeled off five straight points to get within four. Consecutive kills by Ella Maiden and Sarah Grace Larkey kept Milligan within striking distance down 20-16, but IU East won five out of the next six rallies to claim the set 25-17.

The Buffs won a long rally to begin the third set with Ashelyn Vandergriff finishing the back-and-forth point. A kill from Maiden and a Red Wolves error gave Milligan its largest advantage of the afternoon at 3-0. IU East retook the lead at 6-5 and closed the match with a 15-7 spurt.

Maiden totaled eight kills, four total blocks and a .438 hitting percentage in her collegiate debut. Larkey recorded six kills.

Freshman setter Kolbie Greene dished out 15 assists, had six digs, three kills and an ace. Paxton Adkins collected 10 digs.

William Carey 3, Milligan 2 (25-23, 26-24, 17-25, 18-25, 11-15)

The first set between the Buffs and Crusaders featured six ties, the last of which came at 16. The Buffs took the lead for good after a William Carey service error and Adkins ace. Maiden smacked back-to-back kills to push Milligan ahead 20-17. The Crusaders trimmed the Buffs' advantage to one three times in the final moments of the set, but kills from Taylor Pavich and Carley Gregory secured critical side-outs. An attack error by William Carey handed Milligan a 25-23 first set win. 

In the second set, William Carey led 12-8 early but the Buffs rallied to tie the game at 16. A three-point run with kills by Pavich and Greene put Milligan ahead 19-17, but William Carey roared back to take a 22-20 lead. Gregory, Larkey and Maiden buried three-straight kills to re-take the advantage and a Maiden kill put the Buffs' ahead 24-23 and the Buffs took the set 26-24. 

William Carey used a 12-2 run to turn a 15-13 deficit into a 25-17 victory in set four. The Crusaders assembled another 12-2 surge in the fourth frame to force a decisive fifth set.

A 7-1 stretch in the fifth set helped the Crusaders reach a 14-8 match point. The Buffs staved off three match-ending points with a kill by Greene and two by Pavich. Ultimately William Carey completed its comeback with a 15-11 set five win.

Maiden finished with 20 kills, a .289 hitting percentage and seven total blocks. Greene registered 40 assists, eight digs and six kills. 

Pavich established a career high with 11 kills with a .333 hitting percentage. Adkins logged a career best 24 digs. 

C. Gregory posted eight kills, six digs and five blocks. Elise Gregory had 16 digs. 

Milligan volleyball squares off with No. 22 Madonna tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. and tangles with Spring Arbor at noon to close out the Keiser Invitational.