Skyhawks battle, but fall to Montreat on senior night

WEST POINT, Ga. (Oct. 29, 2021) – The Point University volleyball team hosted Montreat College Friday evening in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup and fell the Cavaliers in four sets, 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 24-26.

Before Friday's match, Point honored the eight members of its senior class: Sarah Baucham, Madison Bentley, Audrey Blaschke, Mollie Goen, Kaitlyn Hawke, Te'a Owens, Anastasya Reyes, and Abby Solomon.

It was a back-and-forth battle all match for both teams. Montreat opened the match on a 7-3 run, but Point quickly jumped ahead 8-7 and extended its lead out 15-11. Montreat answered back, scoring the following five points, unanswered, to go ahead 16-15. Fueled by back-to-back Point errors, Montreat would take a two-point lead, and Point was unable to make a comeback, dropping the first set 25-22.

In the second set, Montreat took a quick 9-5 lead before a kill from Bentley capped off a 4-0 run by Point to tie the set at nine. The Skyhawks would tie the set four more times and finally take the lead off a Montreat attack error 19-18. Point would close the set on a 9-1 run to take set two.

With the match tied 1-1, the third set featured seven ties and five lead changes. With the score tied at 23, the Cavs were able to score the final two points they needed off Point errors to take a 2-1 match lead.

Montreat jumped ahead early in the fourth set and extended their lead out 16-11, but the Skyhawks fought back, going on a 6-0 run to take the lead 19-17. Point looked to send the match into a fifth set, after a Montreat attack error put the Skyhawks at set point, but four Point errors allowed Montreat to make a comeback and win the match.

Point outkilled Montreat 50-45, but the Cavaliers took advantage of 33 attack errors, 12 of which came in the final set.

Owens led Point's offense with 14 kills and recorded a double-double with 14 digs. Whitney Ward nearly clinched a double-double as well with nine kills and 15 digs. Madison Bentley led Point's defense with 17 digs. Solomon and Hawke registered 26 and 16 assists, respectively. Goen recorded five blocks.

Up next, Point hosts Milligan University in an AAC matchup tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 30, at 11 a.m. This will be Point's final home match of the season, as the Skyhawks final regular-season match will be on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at Brenau.