Volleyball falls in 3-1 in showdown verses Bluefield

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (October 18, 2022) – The Milligan University volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Bluefield in a battle of top-five teams in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Tuesday evening.

Entering the evening, the Rams were third in the AAC standings and the Buffs were fifth. Bluefield moves to 15-8 on the year and 13-3 in AAC play. The Buffs fall to 14-11, 10-6 AAC. Prior to the match, Taylor Pavich and Kolbie Greene were honored for accumulating 1,000 career digs. Paxton Adkins was highlighted after the first set as she recorded her 1,000th career dig. The game was also the first-ever Milligan volleyball Greene game in conjunction with Bank of Tennessee and Carter County Bank.

Bluefield took the match 20-25, 25-9, 27-25, 25-12. The Rams racked up 53 kills with a .216 hitting percentage while the Buffs recorded 36 kills at .013.

Milligan won a competitive first set 25-20 after the Buffs turned a 17-15 advantage to a 23-17 edge. After three-straight Bluefield kills, Ella Maiden closed the set with back-to-back spikes.

Bluefield dominated the second set as the visitors raced out to a 16-4 lead and took the set 25-9.

The third set looked to be more of the same as Bluefield took an 8-1 edge in the opening moments. Milligan roared back to tie the frame at nine. The set was then tied at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25 for the final time. Bluefield posted a pair of kills to close out the set 27-25 and take a 2-1 edge.

The fourth set resembled the second as Bluefield turned a 5-5 game into a 23-10 advantage on route to a 25-12 set win.

Shelby Miller had 11 kills. Maiden and Sarah Grace Larkey registered nine kills apiece. Greene had 29 assists and 20 digs. Adkins finished with 19 digs and Riley Brinn added 11 digs.

Milligan returns to action Thursday evening against Montreat at 6:30 p.m. The contest is Milligan's annual Dig Pink night.