BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Wesleyan (4-22, 3-13) volleyball team defeated Salem (3-21) in four sets on senior day Saturday morning at Rockefeller Center.
Seniors Olivia Lundy, Anaya Hyman, Kennedy Kuhns and Maddi Carpenter were recognized for their contributions to the WVWC volleyball program.
WVWC Leaders
Joelle Lalla (12) and Jenny Lundy (11) swung for double-digit kill totals. Payton Hefner dished out 29 assists, while Carpenter passed 19 assists. Hefner, Carpenter and Hyman all recorded multiple service aces. Libero Makenzie Yates picked up 15 digs. Milan Reynolds led the Lady Bobcats with four total blocks.
Salem Leaders
Makhia Hinton was the lone Tiger player to eclipse double-digit kills with 11. Mykenzie Clyncke distributed 13 assists. Clyncke and Lenka Jakovijevic both tallied two service aces. Jakovijevic hauled in a match-high 24 digs. Yesenia Munoz produced three total blocks.
Inside Set One
The Lady Bobcats scored three consecutive points to take an early 4-2 lead, capped off by a kill from Hope Arce-Reed. After Salem tied the score at four, Wesleyan went on another three-point scoring run to go up 7-4. Carpenter hit consecutive service aces in the scoring run. Salem responded and took an 11-7 lead after winning seven consecutive points.
The Lady Bobcats roared back and tied the set at 12 after a Tiger attack error. Salem broke the tie with three straight points. The Bobcats trailed 22-20 when the stormed back and won five straight points to win the first set. Lundy’s fourth kill of the first set put Wesleyan ahead in the match.
Inside Set Two
Wesleyan scored six out of the first ten points of the second set. WVWC scored five straight points to pull ahead 12-6. The ‘Cats won four consecutive points to go up by nine points thanks to two kills from Lundy, one kill from Lalla and a service ace from Hefner. Kuhns swung a service ace to put Wesleyan ahead 19-8. Yates got the final kill of the set to give the ‘Cats a 25-14 set two victory.
Inside Set Three
Both teams found themselves tied at 23 apiece. A Salem attack error gave Wesleyan a one-point lead with match point. The Tigers rallied and scored the next two points to force set point. A bad set from Salem tied the score at 25. The Tigers won the next two points and took set three, 27-25.
Inside Set Four
A kill from Lalla and Hefner’s second service ace of the match gave the Bobcats an early 2-0 boost. Salem earned their first lead of the set at 5-4. Lalla tied the set with a kill on the next play. Hefner’s third service ace of the match put the Bobcats up 12-10. A four-point Lady Bobcat scoring run put Wesleyan ahead 18-13, capped off by a Madison Boswell kill. The Tigers were able to cut the deficit to two points late in the set. Wesleyan ended the match scoring five of the final six decisions, highlighted by Lexis Tatum’s final kill of the day. Wesleyan was victorious in set four, 25-19.
