LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Yellow Jackets had one of their best starts to a match of the season, taking a set off the (RV) Hornets on the road.
Score: (RV) Lynchburg 3, Randolph-Macon 1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-15)
Venue: Turner Gymnasium at the University of Lynchburg
Records: Randolph-Macon (11-9, 5-4 ODAC), (RV) Lynchburg (17-4, 6-2 ODAC)
How it Happened
- Randolph-Macon earned a 5-2 lead to open set one, as Aiden Jolly (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) located Allison Lach (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) for two kills and Olivia Leonard (Mechanicsville, Va./The New Community School) for one. Lach and Mia Goode (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) combined for a pair of kills, forcing the Hornets into a quick timeout as they were down, 5-9. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 15-9 at the media timeout, once Jolly found Goode, Leonard and Olivia Roark (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day School) for three kills in four rallies. Out of the break, Jolly assisted Lach for back-to-back kills before Lach and Ella Courtney (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) joined for a block to keep a 21-17 edge. The Yellow Jackets fought off a late LYN push, as a service ace from Lach closed a 25-23 set one on a 4-1 run.
- Randolph-Macon and Lynchburg each traded two points to begin the second set but RMC had to use a timeout once it was down 4-7 as a result of a 4-0 Hornets run. A service error put the Lemon and Black back on serve for just one point, as another 4-0 run from the home squad pushed RMC into another timeout, with the score now at 5-11. Randolph-Macon used two kills from Goode and one from Leonard to pilot a 6-2 run out of the timeout. Courtney and Lach continued the momentum as they each dropped in kills with passes coming from Jolly, getting back within one at 18-19. The effort came up just short, as Lynchburg took set two with a 25-21 score on two kills for its final two points.
- Set three saw Lach join Courtney for a block to push RMC on a 4-1 run but LYN responded with its own 5-1 stretch to hold a 7-5 lead. The Lemon and Black took every other point for the next eight rallies until a quick 3-1 spurt from the Hornets gave them a 15-11 lead at the media timeout. Leonard ripped a kill, which Ellie Rock (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) followed with an ace, helping to bring her team back within one. Roark started to take over down the stretch, as the freshman had two kills and an ace to keep her team down two at 18-20. The momentum was just too late, as Lynchburg closed set three with a 25-19 cushion on a 5-1 run.
- Randolph-Macon used a kill from Lach and block between Lach and Courtney to take the first three points of the fourth. The hosts responded with force, as an 8-1 run that included five kills and one ace put them ahead, 8-4. Goode and Leonard stopped the LYN offense with back-to-back kills, putting RMC down five at the media timeout. This five-point gap would remain until the score reached 15-20, as the Yellow Jackets got a kill each from Courtney and Lach. This back-and-forth play came to an end, as Lynchburg put together a 5-0 run to close out set four, 25-15. The closing points included a pair of aces followed by a pair of kills.
Inside the Numbers
- The Yellow Jackets finished within single digits of the Hornets in kills (45-to-54), blocks (six-to-eight), assists (45-to-51) and digs (65-to-72).
- RMC led 18-to-11 in kills during the first set, stemming from a .300-to-.175 edge in hitting percentage.
- Lach led the team in kills (15), while also tying for team-highs in blocks (five) and aces (one).
- Jolly led the match with a career-high 40 digs.
- Rock compiled a career-high 18 digs.
- Leonard finished second on the team in digs (16) and kills (11), while ranking third in blocks (one.)
- Courtney joined Lach with five blocks and finished third on the squad with seven kills.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets host Hollins on Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Crenshaw Gymnasium.
