BREVARD, N.C. - Senior middle hitter Savannah Cox (Kannapolis, N.C.) game-high 15 kills, helps power the Brevard College Tornados (5-17, 4-11 SAC) to a 3-1 win over the Tusculum Pioneers (10-12, 5-9 SAC) at home for the second time in as many seasons.
In addition to Cox's 15 kill outburst, the senior middle posted a game-high hitting percentage of .419, finishing the contest with just two errors on the evening. Junior outside hitter Rachel Ruble (Advance, N.C.) recorded 12 kills in the match, while Callie Chappell (Rosman, N.C.) finished with nine kills of her own.
Juniors Stephanie Lambert (Florence, Ky.) and Hannah Elmore (Salisbury, N.C.) posted eight kills apiece in the matchup. While junior setter Erin Barr (Hamptonville, N.C.) recorded a game-high 43 assists.
Senior libero Aleksandra Vrvilo (Beaverton, Ore.) finished with a game-high 27 digs, while juniors Maggie Weiss (Clemmons, N.C.) and Kathryn Beasley (Mount Airy, N.C.) each recorded double-digit digs with 18 and 11, respectively.
The Tornados also posted four blocks for the match, as Cox finished with three block assists, moving the Kannapolis, N.C. native five shy of tying the Brevard College all-time record, while Elmore recorded two and Barr scored a single block assist.
Brevard would open the evening on a tear, hitting .320 for the opening set in route to a 25-17 first set victory. The Tornados would roll off 18 kills in the opening frame with only two errors, as Ruble posted a team-high four kills in the first set.
The Tornados and Pioneers would battle point-for-point in the second set, with neither team managing to lead by more than three points in the set. However, leading 20-19, Brevard used a 5-2 run to close out the second set by a final of 25-21, taking a 2-0 lead into the third frame.
The third set of the evening would belong to the Pioneers, as Tusculum jumped out to a 20-12 lead over the Tornados, before Brevard managed a 5-0 run to pull within three of the Pioneers at 20-17. However, Tusculum would take the third frame of the night 25-20, forcing a fourth and deciding set.
The Tornados controlled a slight 9-8 advantage in the fourth set, before the blue and white capitalized on an Elmore kill, Tusculum attack error and Weiss service ace to control a 12-8 lead. Brevard would continue to add to their lead by as much as 10, 22-12, before the Pioneers pulled within six of the Tornados at 23-17. However, Cox and Lambert proved to be too much, as the two middles powered down the final two BC points to take a 25-18 fourth set win and the 3-1 game point.
Brevard will return back to action tomorrow afternoon when they play host to the Mars Hill Lions at 2 p.m.
