August 30, 2019
By LYON COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
LITTLE ROCK – The Lyon College volleyball team cruised to a pair of nonconference victories today in the Philander Smith Panther Volleyball Tournament. The Scots started the afternoon by sweeping Tabor College and kept up their terrific play with a dominating performance over Texas College this evening.
Lyon improves to 2-3 on the young season. Tabor College falls to 2-5, while Texas College’s record dips to 1-1.
GAME FLOW
Tabor College
The Scots and Bluejays exchanged leads in the first set of the match. Tabor extended their lead at 18-15, but Lyon would quickly respond. The Scots regained the momentum, surging to a 10-4 run to win the first set on one of Kendra Kelly’s 10 kills in the contest.
Now leading by a set, the Scots picked up right where they left off, winning the first six points of the second stanza. Lyon continued their excellent setting and finishing at the net to take a 22-12 advantage following a kill by Michayla Shanks. Kaitlyn Jackson would eventually close out the set with a service ace to give the Scots a two-set advantage.
The third set featured five ties and two lead changes. With the score tied at 10 apiece, the visitors from Batesville got in a rhythm as they won nine of the next 11 points, taking a 19-12 lead. The Bluejays, however, cut Lyon’s lead to one at 24-23. The Scots took a timeout to regain their composure in hopes of ending the match on the next point. That is exactly what the Scots did, winning the next point to complete the sweep and close out the match, 25-23.
Texas College
With the Scots leading 11-9 midway through the first set, Gracen Ratliff recorded one of her six kills in the contest to give the visitors from Batesville a three-point cushion. Lyon would continue to extend their advantage the rest of the first stanza, en route to a 25-18 first-set victory.
The second set was the most competitive frame of the night. While Texas College cut Lyon’s lead to only two at 12-10, the Scots were ready for everything the Lady Steers tried to throw at them. Lyon dominated the rest of the set, cruising to a 25-13 second-set win.
Lyon continued their stellar play in the third stanza. TC tied the score four times during the set, but the Scots never relinquished the lead as they overpowered the Lady Steers, 25-12, and won the match in three sets.
KEY STATISTICS
Tabor College
– Kendra Kelley and Michayla Shanks put together all-around performances today as Kelley tallied 10 kills and 8 digs, while Shanks registered 12 digs, 8 kills, and 4 service aces.
– Gracen Ratliff recorded a game-high 11 kills.
– Kaitlyn Jackson etched 20 assists to go along with 3 service aces.
– Lyon overpowered Tabor in kills, 41-28, and service aces, 13-3.
Texas College
– Alley Edwards tallied a game-high 12 kills in the contest, while Kendra Kelley, Gracen Ratliff, and Michayla Shanks added 7, 6, and 6 kills, respectively.
– The Scots setters were terrific today as Kaitlyn Jackson, Ellie Embry, Kendra Davidson, and Elizabeth Bairett combined for 41 assists this evening.
– Lyon held a huge advantage in kills, 51-16, and assists, 46-16.
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THE SCOTS
Lyon continues play in the Panther Volleyball Tournament tomorrow with matches against Rust College and Philander Smith College. The matchup between the Scots and Rust College will begin at noon tomorrow, while the contest between Lyon and Philander Smith College will start 45 minutes following the conclusion of the Lyon-Rust match.