ATLANTA – The Brevard College volleyball team (1-3) picked up its first win of the Fall 2021 season on Saturday in a doubleheader split on the final day of the Emory Classic in Atlanta, hosted by Emory University. The Tornados rallied back from an early deficit to defeat fellow USA South Conference opponent LaGrange College (0-2), 3-2, before a 3-0 defeat to Willamette University (3-2).

Brevard 3, LaGrange 2 (22-25, 34-32, 19-25, 25-21, 15-13)

Local products Ashley Hoxit (Rosman, N.C.) and Kaitlyn Pressley (Brevard, N.C.) led the way for the Tornado offense, tallying 16 and 14 kills, respectively. Pressley's 16-kill total matched her career-high set in the Spring 2021 season vs. Piedmont (March 17), while Hoxit's 14 kills were a new career-best as a collegiate for the freshman from Rosman High School. Breanna O'Shields and Melanie Hoyle added seven kills each as part of a 53 kill effort for the BC offense.

Hoxit accumulated a double-double, adding 13 digs defensively, while sophomore Bailey Lance logged a career-high 40 digs. Freshman setter Logan Priddy racked up a double-double with a career-best 40 assists and 12 digs.

LaGrange was paced by Kirsten Boyd, who racked up an impressive triple-double of 21 assists, 16 kills, and 16 digs, while Jhaira Harris added 22 digs and Bre Dufault logged 19 digs on the defensive end.

The Panthers jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in the first set before the Tornados tied it up with a  four-point run, 5-5. Both sides played back-and-forth before a BC scoring run left the score 17-14 in favor of the Tornados. With BC leading 19-17, LaGrange outscored Brevard 8-3 down the stretch to claim the set win, 25-22.

LaGrange once again started hot in the second set, jumping out to an 11-4 advantage through the first 15 points. The Panthers looked in control, leading by as many as 10 points at 20-10, however, an 11-1 Tornado scoring stretch cut the Panther lead to just one point, 22-21. Brevard would go on to tie the set at 23 before a thrilling stretch ensued, with both sides trading leads and tied scores. With LaGrange leading 32-31 on set point, BC used consecutive Hoxit kills and a LaGrange attacking error to win the exciting second set by a final of 34-32.

The Panthers and Tornados played tightly through the first 30 points in the third set, with LaGrange clinging to a two-point lead at 16-14. From there, LC used a 7-2 scoring run to stretch its lead to 23-16 before ultimately clinching the third stanza, 25-19.

Another back-and-forth set ensued in the fourth, as both sides found themselves knotted up at 15-15. BC pulled away with a 7-1 scoring run, leading 22-16 before clinching the set by four points, 25-21, to force the winner-take-all fifth set.

With LaGrange holding a 5-4 advantage early in the fifth set, BC put together a 7-1 scoring run capped by a Pressley kill, as the Tornados held an 11-6 lead in the pivotal set. A Sarah Hutchens kill followed by two LaGrange service errors clinched the hotly-contested match for Brevard, with the Tornados winning set five 15-13 for the 3-2 match victory.

Willamette 3, Brevard 0 (16-25, 15-25, 10-25)

Hoxit logged six kills, while Pressley added four kills to pace BC's offensive attack in the second match of the afternoon. Priddy had a team-high nine assists, while Lance added nine digs on defense. Senior defensive specialist Morgan Graham tallied seven digs to aid Brevard's defensive efforts.

Willamette's Shyla Sato racked up 15 digs, while Emma Porter dished out 14 assists as the Bearcats shut out Brevard in the straight-set performance.

The Bearcats established themselves early in each of their set victories, jumping out to leads in all three stanzas despite spirited efforts by Brevard to keep things close.

Brevard gears up for a Tuesday, September 7 road trip to Misenheimer, North Carolina to face Pfeiffer at 6 p.m. before a Wednesday, September 8 matchup against Bob Jones University at the Boshamer Gymnasium at 7 p.m.

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-BC-