Those who did not get to see the USA South volleyball championship match between Maryville College and Covenant College missed a gem. Each of the first three sets went to extra points before Covenant College pulled away for the 3-1 title victory. Covenant defeated the two-time USA South champions 26-24, 24-26, 26-24, 25-19.
The first set saw Maryville post an early lead off a Nia Haller kill, but Covenant went on a 12-2 run to take a 17-10 lead. MC went on a 6-0 run to make it 18-17 in Covenant's favor. A trio of kills by Julia Vineyard and Sophia del Campo tied the set at 24-24. Covenant's Chelsea Van Dyk deposited one of her 4 kills and paired with Olivia Becker for the set saving block to give the tournament hosts a 26-24 first set victory.
The second match was once again a barn-burner. A Madison Coker kill, her 6th of the match, gave MC a 15-13 advantage. A Mary Kate White kill allowed Maryville to be the first to reach 20-points, making the score 20-13. Covenant went on a 4-0 run making the remainder of the set a back-and-fourth challenge. A 24-24 tie was broken by a Covenant attack error and MC earned the victory with a Madison Coker and Mary Kate White block.
Covenant claimed the third set with another back-and-forth effort. A Nia Haller kill evened the match 24-24 but a service error and an ace by Covenant's Ginny Moore gave the host team a 2-1 set advantage by the score of 26-24.
Covenant closed out the match in the fourth set claiming a pair of five-point advantages, expanding to eight points 23-16 on a Van Dyk kill. Back–to-back kills by Julia Vineyard and Nia Haller pulled MC to 23-19. A service error and a block by Schuyler Moore and Chelsea Van Dyk gave Covenant the 25-19 win.
Maryville (18-11) was paced by Madison Coker and Nia Haller who each threw down a dozen kills. Sophia del Campo returned 20 digs while also depositing 9 kills. Julie Vineyard and Mary Kate White added a combined 17 kills for the Scots.
Covenant (20-12) will advance to the NCAA post-season behind Ginny Moore's 17 kills and 16 digs. Chelsea Van Dyk added 16 kills while Morgan Opgenorth tossed in 10 kills.
