SALEM, Va. - The Brevard College volleyball team (3-4) split a pair of matches on Friday night, defeating NC Wesleyan in four sets, 3-1, before battling back against tournament host Roanoke, dropping a five-set thriller on day one of the Maroon Classic inside the Cregger Center.
After splitting the first two sets, Tornados clinched their second-straight win with a 3-1 match win over the Battling Bishops. BC took set one against Roanoke, and overcome defeats in the second and third frames with a 25-20 victory in set number four. The Maroons responded with a decisive victory in the fifth set, as BC split its matches.
BREVARD 3, NC WESLEYAN 1 (26-24, 19-25, 25-18, 25-21)
A back-and-forth first set went Brevard's way, as the Tornados battled back from a four-point deficit, 21-17, and scored nine of the next 12 points to claim the 26-24 set win.
The Battling Bishops answered with a six-point win in set two, but Brevard dominated the third set, leading by as many as 10 points while comfortably taking the stanza, 25-18.
BC led by as many as five in the decisive fourth set, as an Emma Fontana kill clinched the match for the Tornados.
Fontana led all Tornados with 15 kills, and added five blocks defensively. Caroline Moon ended up with a double-double (17 digs, 10 kills), while Gianna Borcich racked up a career-high 27 digs. Izzy Boulay (22 assists) and Madison Warren (16 assists) combined for 38 of Brevard's 41 assists in the match.
ROANOKE 3, BREVARD 2 (20-25, 25-17, 25-5, 20-25, 15-3)
In the nightcap, the Tornados put forth a valiant effort vs. the hosts Roanoke, but fell just short, losing in five sets.
Brevard stormed out of the gates with a five-point victory in set one, utilizing an 11-2 scoring run that opened a 22-15 lead up. Roanoke rallied late in the frame, but a Bailey Blackmon kill completed the set in favor of Brevard, 25-20.
Roanoke responded with controlling victories in sets two and three, but Brevard did not go away. BC used a couple of late scoring runs to pull away from the hosts in the fourth set, 25-20.
In the decisive fifth stanza, the Maroons scored 15 of 18 points to earn the match victory.
Freshman Elly McClough led all Tornados with 10 kills offensively. Boulay dished out 16 assists, and Borcich led the defense with 24 digs.
Brevard returns to play on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. to face Randolph and St. Mary's (Md.) to conclude play at the Maroon Classic.
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