SALISBURY, N.C. - Despite a game-high 16 kills by senior middle hitter Savannah Cox (Kannapolis, N.C.) the Brevard College Tornados (4-15, 3-9 SAC) fell by a final of 3-1 to the Catawba College Indians (9-8, 7-5 SAC), Friday evening in Salisbury, N.C.
Cox led the Tornados attack with a .424 hitting percentage, edging out Catawba's Alex Hopper by one kill for top honors in the match. Freshman Callie Chappell (Rosman, N.C.) and sophomore Stephanie Lambert (Florence, Ky.) recorded double-digit kills in the effort, as the pair wrapped up the evening with 11 kills apiece, while Lambert finished the event with a .333 hitting percentage.
Junior setter Erin Barr (Hamptonville, N.C.) benefitted by a late fourth set Cox kill as the junior ended the evening with a game-high 45 kills, adding 13 digs and two block assists. Senior Aleksandra Vrvilo (Beaverton, Ore.) pitched in 18 scoops of her own, while junior Maggie Weiss (Clemmons, N.C.) also posted double-digit digs with 13.
Both Cox and Lambert finished the match with three block assists apiece, while junior outside hitter Rachel Ruble (Advance, N.C.) posted seven kills and one block assist.
Catawba claimed the opening set of the evening 25-20, as both squads battled back and forth throughout the opening frame, before the Indians managed to take a slight 14-10 edge over the Tornados. Brevard evened the match at 14-14, but Catawba would use an 11-6 run to pull out the opening set victory.
Set two would be all Tornados as BC jumped out 8-3 on the Indians, never trailing the entire point to even the contest at 1-1 with a 25-17 set triumph.
The Indians regained the lead 2-1 in the third frame of the night, as both teams played to a 13-12 Catawba advantage, before the Indians would roll off a 7-2 run, taking a 20-14 edge.
Brevard, however, would benefit from a Cox Kill, Weiss Service ace, three kills from Chappell and a kill by Lambert to pull within two of the Indians at 23-21, before Catawba would pick up the final two points to take the set by a final of 25-21.
Set four would be a battle between both teams, with neither team managing to take a distinctive advantage. After Catawba opened the frame on a 6-2 run, Brevard rolled off a 6-1 run of their own evening the set at 7-7. The Indians would extend their lead on BC, 17-14 late into the set, as the Tornados capitalized on three Chappell kills, to pull with one of the Indians at 21-20. After three Catawba points, Cox powered home two clutch kills, pulling BC back within one of the Indians at 24-23, before Catawba would claim the final point and the 3-1 win.
Brevard will look get back into the win column tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Charlotte, N.C. for a 2 p.m. conference showdown with the Queens Royals.
