Box Score Scots Rally from 2-0 Down to Clip Covenant
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. – Maryville and Covenant put on a show for USA South volleyball, and it was the visiting Scots who decided they weren't ready to relinquish their perch atop the Western Division standings.
Maryville improved to 9-0 in conference with a thrilling 3-2 victory over second-place Covenant, rallying from two sets down for the first time in nearly three years. Covenant opened with set wins of 30-28 and 25-22, only to watch Maryville rally for a pair of 26-24 victories and send it to a fifth.
That's when the visitors put the hammer down and rolled 15-8 to pocket their seventh straight win over Covenant. Maryville in its 3-2 home victory over its rival back on Sept. 22 also won 15-8 in the third.
"They really played with patience and grit – I'm proud of them," Maryville head coach Kandis Schram said. "We didn't take advantage of some key opportunities in the first two sets, but they finally decided to dig in."
There were 14 ties in Set 1 and the largest lead was Covenant by 3, the last coming at 21-18. But Maryville scored three in a row and the teams exchanged points and ties from 21-21 all the way to 28-28. Covenant finally benefited from a pair of attack errors and claimed the opener 30-28.
In Set 2, Maryville climbed to leads of 9-4 and 10-5 before Covenant tied it 10-all. The teams traded points throughout the teens and Maryville was in front 21-20 on Brooklyn Wallet's kill. But Covenant put on a closing push and stole the set 25-22.
Momentum Finally Swings
Set 3 saw three points again the largest margin, early Covenant spreads of 5-2 and 6-3. But it was tight throughout until Maryville found itself facing match point at 24-23. That's when the visitors finally saw a few strands of luck go their way. Covenant's serve for the match sailed long, and then Landry Frisch's ensuing serve caught the net and fell forward for a 25-24 lead. Isabella Samson sealed the set with a kill 26-24 and Maryville had life.
Set 4 was all Covenant – until it wasn't. Maryville trailed throughout and by as much as 16-10 with the match on the line. But down 22-19, Wallet posted two big kills and Samson an ace to spark a 5-0 run that made it 24-22. Despite losing set point on what looked to be four hits on the Covenant side, the Scots held firm and Amii Ingalls made the winning kill for another 26-24 win.
Maryville jumped out front in Set 5, leading 5-1 and forcing a Covenant timeout. But MC kept the pressure on and maintained leads of 3-5 points until it was 12-7 on an Ingalls kill. Covenant got one back, but then Wallet killed another and Bonee aced the finale for a 15-8 score line.
Wallet led all with a career-high 21 kills, while Ingalls and Frisch posted double-doubles. Ingalls contributed 15 kills and 18 digs, with Frisch going for 10 and 13. Meredith Bonee missed her career game high in assists by one but had a season-best with 52 to go with 12 digs for a double-double. Bonee pushed her career total to 2,115.
Natalie Watts led everyone in digs with 23 and Emily Rogers added 15.
Maryville has won nine of its last 10, improving to 13-8 overall. Covenant dropped to 13-7 overall and 7-2 in conference after seeing its eight-match winning streak halted.
The last time Maryville rallied from two set down to win 3-2 was Oct. 26, 2018, at home against Huntingdon. The last time it happened on the road was Sept. 23 of that same season at Emory & Henry.
The Scots are in action again Sunday, taking on Wesleyan and Agnes Scott in Macon, Georgia. First match begins at 1 p.m.
