MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Yellow Jackets captured a set against Transylvania and dropped a tough contest against #9 Berry on the road.
Scores: Transylvania 3, Randolph-Macon 1 (25-14, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20): #9 Berry 3, Randolph-Macon 0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-22)
Venue: Cage Center
Records: Randolph-Macon (5-4, 1-0 ODAC); Transylvania (3-7, 0-0 HCAC); #9 Berry (7-2, 1-0 SAA)
How it Happened vs. Transylvania:
- While Caitlin Smith (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day School) located Allison Lach (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) for a kill to earn the first point of the set, the Lemon and Black were forced to call a timeout after the Pioneers took the next six points. Transylvania extended its lead to 12-2, as the 6-1 run was broken up by a kill from Ella Courtney (Arlington, Va./Wakefield). Olivia Leonard (Richmond, Va./The New Community School) countered two TU points with a pair of kills, helping to close the gap to 16-8 with some offensive help from Olivia Roark (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day School). RMC called its second timeout, trailing 9-20, as a result of four kills in five points from the Pioneers. Mia Goode (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) ripped a kill courtesy of Smith, but her team dropped set one, 14-25.
- Set two saw Transylvania create a 4-1 edge but kills from Courtney and Leonard, coupled with a block between Goode and Roark, knotted the set 4-4. Once TU took the next two points, RMC created a 5-1 run to secure a 9-8 lead with both Leonard and Roark ripping kills. Despite the pressure, the Yellow Jackets were forced into their first timeout as a result of a 4-0 burst from the Pioneers. Randolph-Macon responded well out of the break in the form of Lach, who tallied a kill and a service ace over a 5-2 run to tie the set, 14-14. TU had a response for Lach, as it forced three RMC attack errors to pin RMC to its second timeout, with the Yellow Jackets down 18-14. The Lemon and Black exploded on a 7-2 run to bring the set to a 21-21 draw, forcing a timeout from the Pioneers. A block between Roark and Smith which preceded two kills each from Leonard and Roark was almost enough to capture set two, with the Pioneers taking it 25-22.
- RMC had its best start in the third set, as Smith located Leonard and Lach for kills before ripping a service ace to jump ahead, 5-1. The Lemon and Black went on to force a timeout from the Pioneers as they pushed the lead to 11-6 on two kills from Avery Jastrzemski (Richmond, Va./Goochland). Out of the timeout, kills from three separate Yellow Jackets and an ace from Roark surged RMC out to a 17-7 cushion. The squad maintained a 21-11 lead, forcing another timeout from the Pioneers, thanks to a kill and ace from Lach. Randolph-Macon avoided three TU kills and cruised on to take set three, 25-16. Emery Caylor (Baxley, Ga./Appling County) provided a service ace and three of her teammates registered kills.
- RMC took an early 4-2 lead on Smith-to-Leonard connections but TU rebounded with a handful of kills and an ace to capture a 10-7 lead. A quick 4-0 spurt that included kills from Courtney and Smith and an ace from Lach knotted the set at 11. The Pioneers used back-to-back kills and back-to-back service aces to establish a quick 15-11 edge at the media timeout. The two programs went on alternating points until TU was ahead five points, forcing the Yellow Jackets into a timeout. Trailing 19-14 at the break, RMC took three consecutive points. Even though Lach had two kills and Courtney added one, the Lemon and Black dropped set four, 25-20.
Inside the Numbers vs. Transylvania
- The Pioneers held a slight edge in kills (50-to-46) and aces (eight-to-six).
- RMC out-blocked TU four-to-two, led by Roark who totaled four.
- The Yellow Jackets posted double-digit kills in each of their four sets played.
- In set three, Randolph-Macon led 13-to-seven in kills, .281-to-.032 in hitting percentage and four-to-one in service aces.
- Leonard paced her squad with 15 kills and 15 digs, while also adding a block.
- Lach finished second on the team with nine kills and also poured in a tied match-high three service aces.
- Smith continued to find her teammates, totaling a match-high 39 assists across the four sets.
- Sydney Wade (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) compiled nine digs, ranking second on the Lemon and Black.
How it Happened vs. Berry
- The Vikings forced the Yellow Jackets into a quick timeout, after the squad found itself down 8-2. Jastrzemski ripped a kill from Smith out of the timeout to try and help shift the momentum but another Smith-to-Jastrzemski connection was not enough to keep RMC out of its second timeout. Trailing 14-4, the Lemon and Black captured four of the set's next seven points, all on kills from Jastrzemski, Lach and two from Leonard. The Vikings recaptured their pressure and ended set one, 25-10, on an 8-2 run.
- Two kills from Lach and one from Leonard surged the offense ahead, 3-1 in set two. RMC capitalized and extended its edge to 10-6, forcing a timeout from Berry. To force the break, Mia Goode (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) laced three consecutive service aces. While Roark followed up with one of her own after the break, a brief 4-0 response from the Vikings resulted in an RMC timeout, with the hosts ahead 11-10. Kills from Lach and Courtney put the Lemon and Black back up by one, however, they were forced into another timeout in response to a 6-1 run. With Berry leading 17-15 it was able to use four kills and two service aces to take the set, 25-19.
- The Yellow Jackets presented both their offense and defense to start set three, as a kill from Leonard was followed by a block between Lach and Courtney for the 4-1 edge. Even though BC rebounded with a 5-6 lead as a result of three kills, kills from Roark and Jastrzemski evened the set, 9-9. While Berry followed with the next two points leading to an RMC timeout, kills from Lach and Jastrzemski tied the set yet again. The Yellow Jackets had to call their second timeout after their opponents put together an 8-3 run, resulting in a 19-14 score. RMC was resilient, as a kill each from Lach and Jastrzemski forced BC into a timeout, as it was only leading 23-22. The late pressure came up just short, as a Viking kill solidified a 25-22 set three win.
Inside the Numbers vs. Berry
- Berry held a 46-to-24 advantage in kills and paced .359-to-.112 in hitting percentage.
- In set two, RMC trailed two-to-six in serving errors and led four-to-three in service aces.
- The Yellow Jackets fell just five total attacks (98-to-103) short of the Vikings.
- Jastrzemski led the way for RMC in kills (nine), which also ranked third in the contest.
- Goode's three service aces tied for the match-high, contributing to the second set edge.
- Lach tied for the team-high in blocks (one) and also finished tied for second on the squad with six digs.
- Smith led the team with 19 assists and Wade led the Yellow Jackets with seven digs.
Up Next
The Lemon and Black return to ODAC play against Shenandoah on Wednesday, September 23. The Yellow Jackets will face the Hornets in Ashland, Va., for their home-opener at 6:00 p.m.
