WILMORE, Ky. – It was weary eyes for the Maryville Scots here Friday after a familiar foe dashed their postseason hopes. Covenant defeated Maryville 3-1 during the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament Semifinals.
The same Covenant program defeated Maryville last year in the CCS finals. MC rebounded this season to gain a regular season sweep of Covenant for the first time since 2021, winning both matches 3-1. But Friday was Covenant' s day.
Set scores were 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, and 25-18.
The lone Maryville win came in the opening set, when the Scots rebounded from an early deficit to force a tie at 15-15. From there, it was another knotted score at 16-16 before Kenzie Brewster and Cailin Mastropasqua contributed a pair of kills each and Maryville ended the set on a 9-4 run. MC won 25-20.
Third Set Opportunity
Covenant never trailed in Set 2, but Set 3 was close the whole way. There were 12 ties and six lead changes, but the last tie and the last lead change came after Maryville led 22-21. Covenant scored the last four points for a 2-1 set lead.
Covenant led the fourth set 6-1 before Maryville found its footing. The Scots pulled even at 13-all but could not grab the lead. Covenant (21-12) closed the match on an 8-2 run to reach the CCS championship game against Huntingdon.
Mastropasqua was the kill leader, recording her team-leading ninth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 16 digs. Katelyn Eldred was the individual digs leader with 18. Dakota Vaiese also had a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs, and Reese Bailey was the top attacker at .286.
Maryville (21-12) claimed second place in the CCS standings with a 13-3 record and advanced to the conference tournament semifinals for the 25th consecutive season. The Scots wrapped up their penultimate season in the CCS, where they are set for one final year in 2025 before transitioning to the Southern Athletic Association.
