DEMOREST, Ga. – Katelyn Eldred's defensive tool chest was on full display Saturday afternoon as the Scots swept past Belhaven and Piedmont in straight-set victories. Eldred tallied 39 digs across both matches, locking down the defense and keeping the Scots in control all day long.
It was Eldred who got the Scots rolling against Belhaven with a service ace right out of the gate. Her serves book-ended the set, starting with the ace and ending with a
Reese Bailey kill to secure the 25-22 win.
Maryville controlled Sets 2 and 3 with scores of 25-14 and 25-18. Eldred fired off three more aces in the third, bringing her total to four for the match.
Heating up at the Perfect Moment
With the win against Piedmont, the Scots now own a five-game win streak, hitting their stride at just the right time. Scots head coach
Brienna Laskowski emphasized the importance of each player embracing their role as key to the team's recent success.
"Everyone is starting to play their role and do their jobs well," Laskowski said. "That's why we're seeing good wins where everyone is contributing."
Set scores versus the Lions reflected that recent effort with the Scots winning 25-18, 25-20, and 25-18.
The third set proved challenging for MC as Piedmont refused to go away. Maryville got off to a hot 7-2 start before the Lions clawed their way back to force a tie at 10-10. From there, it was an ebb and flow of knotted scores, with both teams battling to take control of the set. The Scots and Lions traded points in a tug-of-war that saw ties at 12-12, 13-13, 15-15, and 16-16. From there, Maryville pulled ahead on a 5-0 run, served by
Cailin Mastropasqua, coasting to 25 points and the win.
Offensively,
Landry Frisch led the way for the Scots, finishing with 11 kills and an impressive .400 attack percentage.
Megan Fairburn (12) and
Dakota Vaiese (18) aided the Scots' effort, combining for 30 assists. Vaiese racked up five service aces, while Fairburn delivered two in the earlier match.
Maryville improved to 16-7 overall and 9-2 in conference play. Belhaven dropped to 10-11 and 8-3, while Piedmont now sits at 3-15 and 3-7. The Scots return home Friday for a tri-match against Huntingdon at 3 p.m. and Wesleyan at 7 p.m., kicking off Homecoming weekend.
