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Brenau University

Volleyball Takes Five-Set Thriller from Reinhardt

Volleyball Takes Five-Set Thriller from Reinhardt
October 27, 2021

Waleska, Georgia- The Brenau volleyball team overcame a 2-1 set deficit to defeat Reinhardt (Ga.) University in five sets (26-24, 21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12) in an Appalachian Athletic Conference match on Tuesday.

In the opening frame, Brenau led most of the set until Reinhardt tied the match up on a block at 16-16. The teams played evenly throughout the next fourteen points until an attack error by Reinhardt's Alma Vazquez-Nunez gave the Golden Tigers a 24-23 advantage. After a kill by the Eagles' Abby Infante evened the match at 24-24, consecutive kills by junior Annabeth Vandiver and freshman Malone Davis allowed the Golden Tigers to clinch the set 26-24.

The host Eagles (16-10 overall, 12-5 AAC) responded in the next two frames by winning both sets 25-21 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the third set, both teams started slowly until Brenau found its stride and closed with a 15-9 run to even the score 2-2 and send the match to a fifth set.

In the final set, the Golden Tigers started fast as Davis and junior Mary Ellen Enright notched two kills each to jump out to a 9-4 lead. Senior TyLeeah Maddox added another kill at the end of the run to increase the lead to 10-4. Reinhardt answered with a four point run to cut the deficit to 10-8, however Maddox notched another kill to stifle the Eagles' momentum and make the score 11-8. Enright then added three more kills down the stretch to close out the match for the Golden Tigers.

Three Golden Tigers posted career highs as Enright (26 kills), Davis (16 kills and 10 digs) and setter Gabrielle Hogle (39 assists and 17 digs) led the team to victory. Enright added 20 digs to her outstanding offensive performance, while libero Julieanne Saliba anchored the defense with a match-high 30 digs. Junior Madison Brock added 11 digs and senior setter Sydney Norton had 17 assists.

Brenau (16-12 overall, 10-7 AAC) next hosts Union (Ky.) College (15-12 overall, 12-6 AAC) in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup on Friday at 6:30 pm in Gainesville.