Milligan opens 2022 with Mountain Madness

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (August 26, 2022) – MILLIGAN, Tenn. (August 26, 2022) – The Milligan University volleyball team began the 2022 season at Milligan Mountain Madness in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Friday. The Buffs lost 3-1 to Bethel (Tenn.) and went the distance against Keiser but fell in five sets.

Game 1 – Bethel 3, Milligan 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-16)

Milligan reeled off four straight points to close the first set and secure a 25-23 victory in the season-opening frame. Kolbie Greene and Taylor Pavich had kills in the set-clinching spurt.

The Buffs were on the wrong end of another 25-23 score in the second set. Bethel led 23-19 before Milligan scrapped back to tie the game at 23, but consecutive points secured the set for the visitors.

The Wildcats outscored the Buffs 25-19 and 25-16 over the final two sets to secure a 3-1 victory to remain unbeaten in five outings this season.

Pavich led the Buffs with 11 kills and four service aces. Greene logged 22 assists, 11 digs and four kills.

Game 2 – Keiser 3, Milligan 2 (25-23, 15-25, 14-25, 25-16, 15-7)

The first set saw the Buffs and Seahawks tied at 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21. Keiser scored three of the next four points and escaped with a 25-23 victory.

Milligan raced out to a 10-1 advantage in the second set behind kills from Shelby Miller, Riley Brinnand aces from Miller and Greene. Milligan closed the set on a 9-2 run with three-straight kills from Grace Sanderson, Greene and Greyson Stevens to close the set out 25-15. In the set, Milligan racked up a .464 team hitting percentage with 16 kills and only three errors.

Kieser scored eight of the first 10 points in the third set to prompt an early Milligan timeout. A kill from Ella Maiden jumpstarted a 8-point run for the Buffs. Pavich accounted for four of the points with aces at the service line to put Milligan ahead 10-8. Milligan went on to outscore Keiser 15-6 the rest of the way to cruise to a 25-14 set victory. Maiden dominated the set with nine kills and five blocks in the set.

The Seahawks led wire-to-wire in the fourth set and forced a fifth set with a 25-16 score in the frame.

Keiser notched the first five points of the fifth set and never trailed on route to a 15-7 set five victory.

Madien finished with a dozen kills and eight total blocks. Pavich had 11 kills and four aces. Greene had 32 assists, 15 digs and four kills.

Milligan continues Mountain Madness tomorrow with matches against Rio Grande and Cumberlands at noon and 4:30 p.m. in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.