MARYVILLE – Maryville was tested, passed the test, and then built on lessons learned during the opening weekend of competition in the Collegiate Conference of the South.
The Scots (8-5) rallied from a set down to knock off Belhaven in Saturday's first match by a 3-2 count before dispatching Piedmont 3-0 to begin their new league pretty much like they left their old one. Maryville is 2-0 in the CCS and has won its last 40 consecutive regular season conference matches.
Scots head coach Kandis Schram said her squad played with enthusiasm but was a little too pumped up against Belhaven. The match scores against the Blazers were 25-19, 22-25, 20-25, 25-12 and 15-6.
"It was nice to see us step up in for that fourth and fifth set," Schram said. "We served better as the match went along. Meredith Bonee saved our bacon with her serves at a critical time. It's nice to come away with two wins."
Bonee in the opening match had five of Maryville's 15 service aces. Amii Ingalls posted a double-double with a career-high 16 kills and 10 digs. She broke her record for kills in the second match with 18, giving her 34 for the afternoon.
Isabella Samson also had a big day, contributing 10 kills in the first match and then a career-high 20 in the nightcap. She leads the team with 137 and has 490 for her career.
"Overall, Amii played exceptionally well," Schram said. "She almost had two double-doubles. Isabella in that last match, hitting .704, is really sweet. She came alive in that second match.
Maryville won the Piedmont match 25-10, 25-18 and 25-17.
Samson with 12 digs to go with her 20 kills had a double-double in the nightcap and has four for the season in the last six matches. Ally Sokolow was solid in both matches with a combined 23 digs, as was Landry Frisch, who had 11 big digs in the comeback against Belhaven.
Maryville is back in action Tuesday night at Berea. The Mountaineers are 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the CCS after beating both Wesleyan and LaGrange 3-0 on Saturday.
