BEREA, Ky. – Berea had all the answers Tuesday night.
The host Mountaineers won 3-0 and celebrated heartily at center court after dealing the Scots their first conference loss of the season. Set scores were 25-20, 29-27 and 27-25. The defeat for Maryville snapped a 40-match regular season conference winning streak dating to a 3-2 home loss to Piedmont back on Oct. 26, 2018.
Set 1 was close through the first 26 points, with neither team leading by more than two and the score tied 13-13. Berea then took control by scoring five straight on four kills mixed with a service ace. The Scots pulled within a pair on four different occasions, the last on a kill by
Hannah Potts to close within 22-20. But Berea put together three consecutive kills to claim the set 25-20.
The second set was a copy of the first, with back and forth in the early going leading to a 12-all tie. Maryville broke in front this time, taking an 18-13 lead on an
Amii Ingalls kill. The Scots led 22-19 when Berea went on a 4-1 run to tie it at 23. Ties followed at 24, 25, 26 and 27 before the Mountaineers finally broke through on a kill and a closing service ace for the 29-27 decision.
Maryville chance for a comeback saw the Scots going point for point again in the early going. Three straight kills from Potts pushed Maryville to a 16-12 advantage, but Berea answered with an 8-2 run and went in front 20-18. The Scots scored three straight to draw level at 22, and it was tied against at 23, 24 and 25. But a Maryville attack error was followed by a Mountaineers kill and that was the match.
Meredith Bonee had a double-double for the Scots with 28 assists and 13 digs. It's her fifth double-double of the season. Maryville is now 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the CCS, while Berea jumps to 10-5 and 3-1
The Scots return to action at Emory (8-3) this Friday at 5 p.m. The Eagles went on the road Tuesday night and swept Lee 3-0. On Saturday, Maryville plays both Wesleyan (3-7, 0-3 CCS) and Huntingdon (13-4, 2-0 CCS) in Macon, Georgia. Huntingdon has a Wednesday night match at Belhaven.
