Box Score The Maryville College Scots opened Homecoming 2017 with a bang on Friday night, as MC swept Berea to keep their key USA South standing in tact.
Maryville was led by eight-kill afternoons from Dejane Hester-Taylor, Lauren Espinal and Rhianna Tyldesley for the sweep, 25-9, 25-11, 25-7.
The Scots held the Mountaineers to a negative 0.031 hitting percentage, as Maryville posted an impressive .368 outing.
Maryville would take advantage early, jumping out to a 10-1 lead on a pair of service aces from Kaitlyn Flickinger and an Espinal kill.
MC would ride that momentum and kills from Nia Haller, Kelley Wandell, Dejane Hester-Taylor, Tyldesley and Espinal for a quick, 25-9 victory in set one.
In set two, the Scots would fall behind 3-1 early, before finding their rally on a Hester-Taylor kill. The two squads would trade points for a 5-all tie, before Maryville would use a 12-3 run for a 17-8 lead. Taylor Youell would add a service ace, while Sidner, Tyldesley and Haller would record multiple kills.
Arin Wyttenback would add a pair of kills, as Tyldesley, Haller and Espinal would continue their dominance at the net for a 25-11 second-set victory.
In the third set, the Mountaineers gained confidence behind a 3-1 lead. An Espinal kill would end the run, as Maryville would use a 12-1 run behind Espinal, Wyttenbach, Madison Wilkerson, Sidner and Tyldesley.
That rally gave MC a 13-4 lead, before they would stretch the 12-1 run to a 19-2 march, as Flickinger added another service aces. Maryville would ride that key rally to a 25-7 victory in set number three.
Maryville (13-10, 7-2 USA South) was led by Tyldesley's eight-kill, six-dig effort, as the freshman hit .250 for the match. Hester-Taylor had eight kills and a solo block with a .429 kills percentage, as Espinal added eight kills and a pair of digs for a .571 hitting percentage.
Sidner tallied six kills, four digs and a service ace, while Haller – the senior – led the squad with an incredible .714 hitting percentage. She had five kills and four digs for MC.
Taylor Youell had a double-double 18 assists and 11 digs, as Flickinger added 18 digs, five assists and a trio of service aces. Saidee McDaniel had 12 assists, five digs and a service ace.
For Berea (3-17, 0-8), it was Kristin Barnes who had six of the Mountaineers' 15 kills and nine digs. Destiney Balser had a team-high 12 assists, as Bailie Parker added 15 digs.
Maryville will continue Homecoming 2017 with a pair of matches tomorrow. The Scots take on Brevard College at noon, before facing USA South foe LaGrange College at 4 p.m.
