Buffs earn gritty five set win at Emory & Henry

EMORY, Va. (September 6, 2021) – The Milligan University volleyball team earned a hard-fought five set road victory at NCAA Division II Emory & Henry in the Buffs' final nonconference tune-up on Monday evening.

The Buffs dispatched the Wasps in five sets, taking the match 26-24, 22-25, 25-13, 20-25, 15-13. The Buffs move to 2-7 on the year while E&H falls to 1-1.

The first set saw neither team lead by more than two points until E&H reeled off five points in a row to lead 21-15. The Wasps closed in a set one with a 22-16 advantage, but Milligan responded with a kill from Greyson Stevens and an ace by Paxton Adkins. The Wasps went ahead 24-21 to force a set point, but back-to-back kills and block by Ella Maiden put the Buffs ahead 25-24, and they captured the set 26-24 on a Wasp miscue.

In the second set, a four-point Milligan run tied the set at 16 but E&H responded with the next three points and led the rest of the way. The Wasps reached another set point at 24-19 and the Buffs responded by notching three straight points before falling 25-22.

Three kills by Maiden and an ace by Layla Grant kickstarted the third set for the Buffs, who raced out to an 18-6 lead and took the set 25-13. Milligan hit a blistering .444 for the set with 15 kills to only three errors on 27 attacks in the frame.

The fourth set played out much like the first two as the set was decided in the final points after the teams were deadlocked at 17. E&H scored eight of the next 11 points to force a fifth set with a 25-20 set victory.

E&H threatened to control the fifth set several times, serving with a chance to go up three twice early, and both times Abigail Byinton responded with a kill. Milligan called a timeout trailing 9-7 and responded with three-straight points, taking a 10-9 lead with a block by Maiden and Taylor Pavich.

The fifth set proceeded to be tied at nine, 10, 11, 12 and 13 as both teams secured critical side outs. Carley Gregory came through with back-to-back kills to take the final set 15-13.

Gregory smacked a season high 19 kills and added five total blocks and six digs. Maiden, who hails from nearby Damascus, Va., smacked 13 kills and had four total blocks.

Byington established season-highs in kills (11) and total blocks (5) while Pavich had a career best 42 assists, along with four total blocks and two kills.

Sarah Grace Larkey added seven kills and Adkins led Milligan in digs (15) and aces (3).

The Buffs open Appalachian Athletic Conference play Thursday evening at the Steve Lacey Fieldhouse against Bluefield.